Wedding at 200-year-old Indore temple inconveniences devotees; probe ordered

Indore: A wedding held at a 200-year-old temple in Madhya Pradesh's Indore has caused a row, prompting the authorities to order a probe into the matter, officials said on Monday.

According to officials, the wedding took place on Sunday at Gopal Mandir in the Rajbada area of the city. The temple has been renovated under the Centre's Smart City project.

Eyewitnesses said the temple premises were decorated for the ceremony, Vedic marriage rituals were performed, and there was a feast for guests.

Locals have alleged that devotees and visitors were inconvenienced, and traffic was also disrupted near the temple.

Photographs from the event have surfaced on social media, with people raising questions about how permission was granted for a wedding at the temple, which was part of the city's heritage.

A photograph of a receipt has also surfaced on social media, which mentions that one Rajkumar Agrawal paid Rs 25,551 to the Sansthan Shri Gopal Mandir, the organisation managing this temple, in connection with the wedding. The receipt with a government seal is dated July 29, 2024.

Officials said an additional district magistrate (ADM) has been ordered to probe the matter.

Indore Smart City Development Limited's chief executive officer (CEO) Divyank Singh said the 19th-century Holkar-era Gopal Mandir was renovated under the Smart City project for Rs 13 crore.

Historian Zafar Ansari said the temple was built by Rajmata Krishna Bai Holkar in 1832 at a cost of Rs 80,000.

"Gopal Mandir was a major centre of charitable activities, especially during the reign of the Holkars. It is unfortunate a wedding ceremony was organised in this temple. Such events can damage this historical heritage," Ansari said.