India  January 23, 2014: On 15th January, Supreme Court passed a verdict handing over management of Sri Vitthal Temple of Pandharpur to the State Government. With this decision, the temple will be governed by Pandharpur Mandir Ordinance 1973. As per the provisions of this Act, temple committee will be reorganized and the temple will be managed by them. With such decision of Supreme Court, the rights of ‘Badave- Utpat’ and ‘Sevekari’ have ended. It is likely that taking advantage of the above decision, Temple Committees and related people would take over thousands of temples in this country leading to withdrawing all rights of priests who inherited the right of performing ‘puja’ in the family. The verdict will also adversely affect ‘Bhopes’ of Tuljapur. If local Government appoints a separate temple committee wherever there is need, such committee will get all rights in terms of the above decision.

‘Badave’ are known to be priests in Sri Vitthal Mandir. They perform ‘puja’ as also appoint ‘Sevedhari’. Badave had that right. Priests perform 7 types of ‘puja’ in which, bathing of idol, dressing of idol, applying ‘gandha- attar’, doing actual ‘puja’, reciting relevant ‘mantras’, singing ‘bhajan’ by Haridas, showing mirror to the idol thus got ready and ‘divate’ lighting lamps, ‘Dingare’ standing with silver rod immediately after ‘puja’, ‘paricharak’ bring warm water for bathing idol and make preparations for performing ‘aarti’ whereas ‘Utpat’ perform puja of Goddess Rukmini by themselves.

Few Warakaris had made a demand 40 years ago that the temple should be released from the hold of ‘Badave, Utpat and Sevekari’. In 1967, ‘Warakari Mahamandal’ was set up under the Chairmanship of late Worlikar (Mumbai) at Alandi (Dist. Pune). The above demand was made by this ‘Mahamandal’ with Vasantrao Naik, the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra. He appointed Commission under retired District Judge B. D. Nadkarni who submitted his report to the Government on 2nd February 1970. In his report, he had suggested that rights of ‘Badave, Utpat and Sevekari’ should be withdrawn and persons should be appointed to perform ‘puja’ and temple should be kept away from politics. Rituals like ‘Dakshina – Ovalani’ should be stopped etc; but the State Government took no action. Then, freedom fighter named Shelar mama undertook hunger strikein ‘Hutatma Chowk’, Mumbai. Ramdasbuva Mansukh, G. S. Rahirkar and Balasaheb Bharde took up the matter with the Government insisting to pass an Act. In 1973, A. R. Antulay, the then Law and Justice Minister issued ‘Pandharpur Mandir Ordinance, 1973’ which was later passed in Legilstaive Assembly and Legislative Council; but before the Act was implemented, ‘Badave- Utpat’ challenged it in Supreme Court. The Court asked them to come through Civil Court as it required submission of evidence. Then, the case was fought in Senior Court, District Court, High Court and Supreme Court, from 1974 to 2014, a journey of 40 years for implementation of this Act !