Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Temple’s administrative mess!

Mumbai : The 2021-22 audit report of the Shri Vitthal-Rukmini temple has revealed some shocking facts. Records of hundreds of precious ornaments and artefacts offered by kings, maharajas, institutions, peshwas etc. from ancient times to Shree Vitthal and Rukmini temple, are missing from the balance sheet. Records of 203 antique ornaments of Shri Vitthal and 111 ornaments of Shri Rukmini Devi are not found in the balance sheet. The report also revealed that the Garudakhamb of the temple, the doors of the sabhamandap, as well as the sanctum sanctorum housing Shri Vitthal and Shri Rukminidevi have not been assessed. This is not only extremely concerning but also gives rise to the suspicion that the jewellery may have been stolen.

Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Temple in Pandharpur was taken under government control in 1985. Since then the administration of the temple is being looked after by a government appointed committee called ‘Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Samiti, Pandharpur’. The temple audit for the financial year 2021-22 has been conducted by Government Appointed Auditor Messrs B S G & Associates (Pune). The temple was taken over by the government to ensure ‘smooth and clean administration’ but the report by the auditors shows that the temple administration is a mess.

Items in Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Temple that are not recorded in the balance sheet and register

1. Door to the sabha mandap
2. Garudakhamb
3. Sanctum sanctorum of Shri Vitthal Temple
4. Sanctum sanctorum of Shri Rukminidevi Temple
5. The doorframe to the Sanctum sanctorum of Shri Rukminidevi Temple
6. The shej door of Shri Rukminidevi Temple
7. The darshan line door of Shri Rukminidevi Temple
8. The door and doorframe at choukhambi9. Internal doors in the treasury
10. The doorframe to the Shri Vitthal Sanctum sanctorum

Apart from the above items, many items offered to the Deities have not been assessed for their value and not recorded in the balance sheet.

Jewellery bags are not sealed

The audit report has also revealed a shocking pattern of not sealing the ornaments offered to Sri Vitthal-Rukmini, as well as those donated to the temple. The offered ornaments are separated in bags as they are received. The bags full of jewels are not even sealed nor are the signatures of the concerned officials taken. The bags are simply tied with knots. This leaves a possibility that jewellery may be swiped by someone and it is quite possible that it may have already happened.

Advance not recovered even after 12 years!

Advances paid to employees by temple committee are not recovered in time. In 2010, 1 lakh 80 thousand 540 Rupees were given as advance amount to 7 individuals by the temple. But even after 12 years, this amount has not been recovered. Apart from this, the advance amounts given to many have not been recovered in time.

Sulabh Shauchalaya project runs a foul

On the 21st March 2017, the Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Temple Committee set the rent at Rs 1,54,46,041 for the construction of accessible public toilets on the railway site. This agreement spanned 35 years, with an annual rent payment of Rs 4,41,315 to the railway administration by the temple committee. Astonishingly, despite these arrangements, no public toilet has materialised in the last 5 years. This has resulted in the wastage of Rs 22,06,575 from the temple funds.

Even the laddu prasad has not been spared!

Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Mandir Samiti has awarded the contract for preparing the laddus distributed to devotees as prasad to women self-help groups. While giving this contract, it has been mentioned that ‘Dry fruits and other nutritious items should be used in the laddus’. The auditors found that dry fruits were not actually being used. There is no clarity in the contract as to how much dry fruit should be used. It is also decided that ‘groundnut oil should be used to make laddu’. Even on the cover of the laddu packets it is clearly mentioned that groundnut oil has been used in the laddus. However, it was found that cotton seeds oil is used instead of groundnut oil while making laddus. When the auditors visited the laddu factory, they found containers of cottonseed oil. The auditors have attached photographic proof with their report.

Horrible state of the tarpaulin used to dry the laddus

Tarpaulin is used to dry the laddus after they are prepared. The auditors noted that these tarps are dirty and blackened. There is no cleanliness in the factory. The auditors also mentioned in the report that the door there is broken and rats, geckos and other animals can enter through it. Photographs have been attached to the report.

Cattle in the Goshala ignored

No records were kept of the cows in the temple goshala. Garbage, scrap, as well as empty oil cans are kept in the Goshala. On January 12, 2023, when the auditors visited the cowshed, 2 cows and 3 calves were found to be suffering from ‘lumpy’ disease; But they have not received adequate care. Cattle afflicted by the lumpy virus were kept tied to trees.

Milk sales not recorded

Cows in the goshala are milked and the milk is sold, but the milk sales are not recorded. Even the cows are not insured. Auditors found as many as 30 trolleys of cow dung in the Goshala area. Their value alone is around 1 lakh 35 rupees. These have not be sold in a timely manner.

In addition to these, the auditors have found that the affairs of the Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Temple Committee are largely chaotic. One cannot rule out large scale embezzlement with the facts that have come to fore.

Vague response by the temple committee on the auditor’s objections
A compliance report has been submitted by the Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Mandir Devasthan Samiti regarding clarifications to the objections recorded in the audit report. However, instead of concrete and objective measures, most of the objections have been answered with a vague ‘necessary action being undertaken’.

Source: Sanatan Prabhat