Panic Erupts At Banke Bihari Temple Over Peeling Silver Plating; Committee Issues Clarification

Uttar Pradesh: A commotion has erupted at the famous Shri Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan after reports surfaced of the silver plating peeling off the doors of the sanctum sanctorum, the sandalwood chamber, and other areas.

The silver plating on the doors of the sandalwood chamber was found to be peeling in several places, and photos and videos of the damage went viral on social media. Following this, temple priests alleged that the silver had been stolen or deliberately removed.

What the Banke Bihari temple priests alleged in the controversy?

It is reported that several years ago, the doors of the sanctum sanctorum and the sandalwood chamber were plated with approximately 30 kg of silver by the Singhania family, devotees of Banke Bihari. Recently, some of the silver plating on the sandalwood chamber doors was found to be peeling, leading to the controversy. The priests linked it to theft and made videos that went viral on social media.

As the matter escalated, Dinesh Goswami, a member of the high-powered management committee overseeing the temple administration, issued a video message to clarify the situation. He stated that the claims of silver theft were completely false. He explained that the peeling of the plating was caused by chemical-based perfumes. The repeated application of perfumes on the doors and walls by the priests had damaged the silver plating.

Dinesh Goswami said that the priests' action of making videos to raise awareness was a positive step. Temple security and surveillance will be further strengthened. CCTV cameras will be installed at the relevant locations soon to monitor such situations in the future.

Currently, the temple administration has increased security measures and appealed to devotees not to pay attention to rumors.