Warning by Mandir Mahasangh and Warkari organizations!
Controversy over forcible chemical coating on idols; criminal case to be filed against temple committee and archaeology department if Shri Vitthal’s idol is damaged!
Pandharpur – The Warkari Sampradaya and the Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh have strongly opposed the chemical conservation process (epoxy/silicon) scheduled for June 23rd–24th by the archaeological department on the ‘Swayambhu’ Shri Vitthal-Rukmini idols, the revered deities of crores of Hindus.
The administration had earlier claimed that the coating applied during the Covid-19 period would last for 10 years. However, the need for another coating within just 4–5 years itself proves the failure of this chemical process. Neither the temple committee nor the archaeological department has been able to provide any scientific explanation as to how a depression (dent) formed on the feet of Lord Pandurang; who has stood safely on the brick for ages; during the Covid lockdown, and why the feet of Shri Rukmini mata deteriorated.
Artificial chemicals block the natural respiration of stone, posing a grave risk of the idol becoming brittle from within. If the administration takes a unilateral step without taking warkari saints, mahants, and idol experts into confidence, it will trigger massive public outrage across Maharashtra. If an attempt is made to forcibly carry out this chemical coating despite protests, we will file a petition in court against the Shri Vitthal-Rukmini temple committee and the archaeology department. This warning was given by Shri. Sunil Ghanavat, National Organizer of the Mahasangh, during a press conference. A memorandum regarding this has been submitted to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, District Collector, and the temple committee.
पंढरपूर येथील श्री विठ्ठलाच्या मूर्तीला हानी पोहोचल्यास मंदिरे समिती व पुरातत्त्व विभागावर फौजदारी खटला दाखल करू !
🎙️ – श्री. @SG_HJS , महाराष्ट्र महासंघाचे राष्ट्रीय संघटक#Vitthal #Pandharpur #Varkari #VitthalMauli #TempleProtection pic.twitter.com/uhD3VQBF1f
— Mandir Mahasangh (@mandirmahasangh) June 17, 2026
Prominent personalities present on the occasion included H.B.P. Ramkrishna Hanumant Maharaj Veer of Warkari Paik Sangh, Shri. Prasad Pandit (Presiding Dharmadhikari of Pragnyapuri Dnyanpeeth, Akkalkot), Shri. Chandrakant Ramanashetti (District Coordinator of Hindu Rashtra Samanvay Samiti), Shri. Vinod Rasal of Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh, and Shri. Rajan Bunge of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti.
Why insist on chemical coating in Pandharpur when organic coating was used for Kolhapur’s Shri Mahalaxmi 10 years ago?
10 years ago, between July 22nd and August 6th, 2015, when M.R. Singh, an official of the Central Archaeological Department, carried out the conservation process on the idol of Shri Mahalaxmi Devi in Kolhapur, a mixture containing the powder of the exact stone from which the idol was carved was used. Organic ingredients, including extracts of baheda, durva, and marking nut (Bibba) oil, were used in that process. If an organic coating process was suitable for the idol of Shri Mahalaxmi Devi back then, why is there an insistence on chemical coating for Pandharpur’s Shri Vitthal now? If that action was correct, the current move must be termed incorrect. What does archaeological department official Vilas Vahane want to achieve by insisting on expensive and unscientific chemical coatings instead of affordable organic ones? There is definitely room to suspect a conspiracy to exhaust excess funds!
Chemical coating on idols is wrong! – Karveer Peeth Shankaracharya
When asked for his opinion on the matter, Shri Swami Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Karveer Peeth stated, “According to the maxim ‘Yatha Dehe Tatha Deve’ (As with the body, so with the deity), just as chemicals burn or harm our body, they cause harm to the idol. Therefore, our clear opinion is that chemical conservation should not be done.” This raises the question of whether the officials of the archaeology department claim to know better than an advanced spiritual authority like the Shankaracharya.
H.B.P. Ramkrishna Hanumant Maharaj Veer of Warkari Paik Sangh stated, “In the last few years, chemical experiments have been conducted on the idol 4 to 5 times, and it is visibly causing damage. History shows that the chemical process on the idol of Shri Mahalaxmi Devi in Kolhapur caused immense damage, yet the same mistake is being repeated in Pandharpur. Legal liability (civil and criminal) must be fixed before any scientific process is initiated. If the idols of Lord Vitthal or Rukmini mata suffer any damage during this process, Warkari and Hindu organizations will approach the court to file direct criminal cases against the concerned officials and the Temple committee for hurting religious sentiments and damaging national heritage.”
