E-Paper
Akhara Parishad to adopt dilapidated temples of country
The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) , the top decision-making body of country’s recognised 13 ancient monastic orders having thousands of seers as its members, has decided to adopt neglected and dilapidated temples across the country
The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) , the top decision-making body of country’s recognised 13 ancient monastic orders having thousands of seers as its members, has decided to adopt neglected and dilapidated temples across the country.
The ABAP is ready to make arrangements for worship in such temples by getting them repaired. It wants due permission from the state governments for undertaking the needed repair work of these temples so that there is no problem at the administrative level in future.
For the same, a proposal has been prepared which ABAP office bearers will give to chief minister Yogi Adityanath and urge him to take appropriate action in this regard.
The Akhara Parishad has conducted a survey of the religious places of Uttar Pradesh. In the survey, conducted by the seers of the Parishad, it has been found that more than 40,000 small temples are in a dilapidated condition across the state. All the temples are located on the outskirts of cities, towns, markets and villages.
“Apart from their sorry tale of affairs, what is more painful for us is the fact that there is no arrangement for worship in them nor their proper care. Not only this, the land of most of the temples has been given to private owners on fake lease,” claimed chief patron of Juna Akhara and general secretary, ABAP, Mahant Hari Giri.
“In some cases, lease has been given to those who believe in other religions and they have used the land for construction of their own choice,” he claimed. The Parishad has suggested to get the land of monasteries and temples freed from encroachments and use it as “Gurukuls”.
“Lakhs of temples across the country are neglected. In UP, their number is in thousands. No temple should remain without worship and the government can take the help of the Akhara Parishad in arranging the same,” Mahant Hari Giri said.
“The proposal will be given to the chief minister of UP and he can entrust the responsibility of maintaining temples to any of the 13 akharas. Akharas will conduct religious activities at their own expense,” he added.
Giri has expressed happiness over the Yogi government’s decision to set up a comprehensive welfare scheme implementation board for elderly saints and priests in the budget. He said the CM had taken an inspirational step in the interest of “Sanatan Dharma” and the governments of every state should learn from him.
He demanded that maintenance of poor seers should be done through a board and respective state governments should make seers of their states financially strong. “The government should give monthly honorarium to them so that they do not face any problem in the last phase of their lives,” Giri further demanded.
