Indore:
A wedding held at a 200-year-old temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore has kicked up a row, prompting the authorities to order a probe into the matter, officials said on Monday.
Following the episode, the manager of the temple was sacked with immediate effect, while the charge of the government unit related to temples was withdrawn from a revenue department official, they added.
According to officials, the wedding took place on Sunday at Gopal Mandir in the Rajwada 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 is 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) will probe the matter.
Indore divisional commissioner (revenue) Deepak Singh has terminated the services of the manager of the Gopal Mandir with immediate effect and also withdrawn charge of the government unit related to such temples from a sub-divisional officer of the revenue department, they added.
Singh has also directed the district administration to form a high-level committee to fix the detailed guidelines regarding the management of the Gopal Mandir, the officials said.
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.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
