How Uttar Pradesh Got Control Over Kashi Vishwanath 44 Years Ago

In Uttar Pradesh, revelations of alleged embezzlement in the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya have once again highlighted the vulnerabilities in the management of temples. It echoes a case of theft from nearly 44 years ago at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi. The theft in January 1983 not only exposed deep-rooted mismanagement but also became a turning point, prompting a change in the management of the temple and setting a historic precedent.

On the intervening night of January 4 and 5, 1983, the golden Argha — the base encircling the Shivlinga, weighing approximately 2.6 kilograms of gold — was stolen from the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The incident, in the heart of Varanasi, sparked immediate outrage, leaving the government at the Centre and the state feeling uneasy.

At the time, Uttar Pradesh was under the leadership of Chief Minister Sripati Mishra. The state police, headed by Shrish Chandra Dikshit, launched a swift investigation. By January 22, 1983, authorities had arrested 11 individuals. Much of the stolen property was recovered, though the process dragged on. The stolen items were finally returned to the temple trust in November 2006.

The fallout extended far beyond criminal proceedings. Public criticism mounted quickly against the mahant-led management system that had been in place for centuries. Facing growing pressure, the state government acted decisively. On January 28, 1983, an ordinance was promulgated, transferring management of the temple to a government-constituted trust. Later, on September 7, 1983, Social Welfare Minister Gulab Sehra introduced a bill in the UP Assembly to replace the ordinance. The bill passed swiftly and received assent from the President on October 12, 1983, becoming the Uttar Pradesh Sri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Act, 1983, which became effective retroactively from January 28. The Act established a board of trustees, comprising prominent religious figures and senior government officials, along with an executive committee for day-to-day operations. Vibhuti Narayan Singh was made trust president and continued in the position until his demise in 2000.

The transition highlighted stark contrasts in governance. Under the mahants, daily offerings were reportedly recorded at Rs 300-500. Temple assets were valued at nearly Rs 15.5 crore at the time of takeover. The government provided an initial loan of Rs 11 lakh to the new trust. Of this, Rs 6 lakh funded a replacement golden Argha, while the remaining Rs 5 lakh was deposited in a bank to generate interest for routine expenses. The government claimed that after the takeover, daily offerings increased up to Rs 1,500.

Minister Sehra, while tabling the bill, painted a picture of the pre-takeover era. Priests received a paltry Rs 8 per month plus meals — conditions he likened to “bonded labour”. In contrast, the new management raised salaries to Rs 300 per month, with lunch provisions. Infrastructure improvements followed: 20 tubelights and 11 fans were installed for better lighting and ventilation. Cleanliness campaigns were prioritised, and milk offered to the Shivlinga was distributed to orphans. Temple traditions continued, with 51 sanyasis fed every Monday and 30 poor individuals fed daily.

Families donating Rs 5,000 or more gained the privilege of performing puja inside the garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) once a year. The first major contribution was from then-PM Indira Gandhi. Within months, Rs 1 lakh had been raised. A police post near the temple bolstered security.

The management change, however, was not without controversy. Questions arose in the Assembly about Vibhuti Narayan Singh’s approach to the entry of Harijans into the temple — he had opposed it in the mid-1950s. Some MLAs asked whether any affidavits had been taken from him for not repeating the same. Shrish Chandra Dikshit joined the Vishva Hindu Parishad post-retirement in 1984 and joined the movement for the Ram Temple at Ayodhya. He eventually joined the BJP, got a ticket and entered the Lok Sabha in 1991.

The changes faced legal scrutiny as well, with challenges mounted in the Allahabad High Court and then, the Supreme Court. Finally, in a landmark March 14, 1997, verdict, the Supreme Court upheld state control. It observed that prior to 1983, “the management of Temple was in an appalling condition. Devoted pilgrims when they visited the Temples were subjected to exploitation at the behest of pandas, the precincts were in most unhygienic condition (sic).”

Yet, state control did not entirely eradicate problems. Thefts of a smaller scale continued, underscoring challenges to security and internal oversight.

The writer is Senior Associate Editor, The Indian Express

Shyamlal Yadav is one of the pioneers of the effective use of RTI for investigative reporting. He is... Read More