Representative image of a Temple
Credit: Incredible India
Mumbai: Despite transactions worth billions of rupees, not a single mosque or church in India is under government control, however, Hindu temples continues to be under control of governments, said Ramgiri Maharaj, the head of Sadguru Gangagiri Maharaj Institution of Ahilyanagar.
He was speaking at the third Maharashtra Temple Trust Conference held at Shirdi.
Over 750 invited trustees, representatives, priests, lawyers fighting for the protection of temples, scholars, and others from across Maharashtra participated in this conference organised by Shri Sai Palkhi Niwara, Shirdi, by the Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh, Shri Jivdani Devi Sansthan, Shri Jyotirlinga Bhimashankar Devasthan, Shri Sai Palkhi Niwara, and the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti.
“In challenging circumstances, saints have preserved the culture of temples. In the present times, Hindus visit pilgrimage sites, but if the sanctity of these places is destroyed, they ignore them. Spirituality should be within every breath and every drop of blood. If Hindus remain inactive regarding their Dharma, life will become difficult in the future,” said Ramgiri Maharaj.
"In the Lok Sabha elections, religious extremists determined their strategy in mosques. They issued fatwas about who to vote for. Then, why can't the strategy for Hinduism and the nation be decided in temples?,” said Sunil Ghanwat, National Organizer of the Mandir Mahasangh.
According to him, if thousands of trustees unite and demand the liberation of temples from government control, the government will have no choice but to grant it.
He urged all trustees to think about how “Hindu unity can be achieved from their temples”, as temples can also provide security to Hindus in the future.
Pradeep Tendolkar, President of Shri Jivdani Devi Sansthan, said: ”The preservation of temples is the work of God, and it is by God's grace that we have come together for this cause. The work done by the Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh in the last 3 years has been remarkable. This conference provides a platform for all trustees to come together.”
Girish Shah, President of Samast Mahajan Sangh, said: "About a month ago, I visited the Swaminarayan Temple in Abu Dhabi. The arrangements there were excellent, and 10,000 to 20,000 pilgrims visit daily. Additionally, knowledge about culture and values is imparted. In fact, this knowledge has always been with us. Books from ancient universities like Nalanda and Takshashila, along with our Vedas, Yoga, justice system, mathematics, and Ayurveda, all originated from our temple culture. In ancient Indian culture, Hindu temples were the gurukuls and educational centers. What is the situation now? We only claim that 'this temple is ours,' but there is nothing around it. We need to come out of this situation. Temples must provide the facility to conduct 15 out of 16 sacramental rites. If rites like Garbhadhan are conducted in temples, the future generations will grow up to be patriotic”.
“All Hindus must set aside their personal interests. Temples are collective centers of worship for Hindus, where group prayers, bhajans, and recitations are conducted. The destruction of such temples is an attack on Hinduism. Therefore, all Hindus should unite to raise the flag of Sanatan culture and work towards protecting temples," appealed Pujya Ramesh Giri Maharaj of Shri Kshetra Bet Kopargaon.
Temple scholar Sandeep Singh said: "It is essential to understand that temples are not a means of earning income but are centers of devotion. Temples are the backbone of our economy. While many industrial cities around the world are declining, cities with pilgrimage centers like Ujjain, Pataliputra, Rameswaram, and Kashi have remained alive for thousands of years because they were all dependent on the economy of temples. The economy of this country stands on temples."