Lucky Charbhuja neglected by Raje on development front

After Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje chose Charbhujaji temple to kick off her pre-poll yatra, the narrow alleys leading to the temple are witnessing hustle and bustle.

As one enters the lanes leading to the 5000-year-old Charbhuja temple, a nondescript shrine of Lord Vishnu situated in Garhbor village of Kumbhalgarh tehsil, everything looks decked up, with BJP's posters hung everywhere.

The premises smells of fresh paint on its walls, and along with the devotees, the temple is dotted with BJP workers checking on last-minute preparation. The roads leading to the temple have also been refurbished days ahead of Raje's visit on Friday. The reason for the makeover is evident - Raje is once again trying her luck in the upcoming assembly election by seeking blessings of the revered deity.

Raje's neglect

While scores of BJP workers are busy beautifying the place, the locals show a disconnect with the Chief Minister's arrival or her yatra in their village. Most of the locals believe that Raje has been selfish and only visits the temple for her benefit and does nothing after coming to power. "She has been here twice and Charbhujaji has been merciful to her but she never fulfilled her promises.
The temple needs a kitchen (bhojanshala) and also lacks toilet and washroom facility. Even the roads are in bad shape," Nand Kishore Purohit, the temple priest, told DH. The vicinity is dominated by Gujjar community.

Echoing his views, Chagun Lal Gujjar, former sarpanch of Charbhuja added, "We desperately need a college as our students have to travel 40 km for higher education. But She (Raje) forgets us after coming to power." Around 1,000 pilgrims visit the temple every day.

Open defecation

One can sense the neglect of Charbhuja village on entering the temple's Dharamshala (rest house for pilgrims), which is in a shambles.

The 200-year-old building with a capacity to accommodate around 200-300 people at one time is in ruins. However, some pilgrims who still use it, end up sleeping in the open lawns and even defecate in the open. "There is no place to stay in Charbhuja. So we prefer to sleep on the lawns of this dharamshala. But, even women are forced to defecate in the open fields behind the building," Jaipal Singh, a devotee from Madhya Pradesh, told DH.

Jatin Gandhi, assistant commissioner, Devasthan Vibhag, Udaipur told DH, "Currently the place lacks lodging and boarding facility, including toilets for pilgrims. But we have started the renovation process and hope to complete it by year-end. A budget of more than Rs 1 crore has been allocated for the Dharamshala".