SC panel bans climbing stairs, offering darshan at Jagmohan hall of Banke Bihari temple

People offering prayers at Bankey Bihari Temple, in Vrindavan. (Courtesy: PTI file photo)

The chairman of a Supreme Court-appointed high-powered committee for the management of the Banke Bihari temple has prohibited climbing stairs or offering darshan at the Jagmohan hall of the shrine after non-compliance by the priests, officials said.

Jagmohan refers to the space between the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and the area where common devotees get a glimpse of Banke Bihari.

According to local customs and traditions, devotees are not allowed to enter the area, where only the priests on duty can facilitate worship offered by them.

From Saturday, entry of any visitor to the upper left and right sides of the Jagmohan area will be prohibited, an official statement said.

The Supreme Court constituted the 12-member high-powered committee, headed by retired Allahabad High Court judge Ashok Kumar, to manage the day-to-day affairs of the temple.

Kumar said the decision was taken after the temple 'sevayats' (priests), despite promising to stop the practice, failed to comply with the advice.

Through a directive issued on Friday, Kumar has completely prohibited climbing stairs or offering darshan in the Jagmohan area.

Before that, Kumar, along with a committee member and former district judge Mukesh Kumar, conducted a site inspection of the temple premises.

After noting numerous irregularities, the committee had instructed the concerned 'sevayats' to provide all possible assistance in managing the crowd of visitors, Kumar said.

However, no positive cooperation was received from them, he said.

Kumar also said that devotees were trying to have darshan by climbing the stairs on both sides of the Jagmohan area, even by hanging small children from the railings.

This, he noted, not only affected the dignity of 'Thakurji', but also posed strong possibility of an untoward incident occurring in the crowded area.

Kumar has instructed the executive manager of the temple to ensure strict compliance with Friday's order and close the passage/door leading from the Jagmohan to the Chandan Kothri.