Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Monday hit out at the royal family of Kullu, the traditional custodians of the Raghunath temple, saying it was not the private property of anyone.
Addressing a public meeting at Banjar, in Kullu District, Virbhadra Singh said that the Raghunath temple was not a private property of anyone as lord Raghunathji was widely worshipped by people of the Kullu valley. “He is chief deity of Kullu Dusherra, and people have unflinching faith in him,” he said.
“We are all well wishers of royal family of Kullu but the formation of Trust was far better in the overall interest of the people of the valley”, the Chief Minister said on the claims of the royal family on the famous Kullu dussehra and their worship.
The Chief Minister advised that he himself never comes in palanquin on the shoulders of common man and hinted that even the Royal scion of Kullu family should understand this.
He said that the Raghunath Temple Trust was formed so that proper audit of the temple could be done, its security and proper upkeep be ensured. He said that the idol of lord Raghunathji at present was placed in a small room and he wishes that there should be a magnificent temple of lord Raghunathji in Kullu. The Government has no intention to take over the temple but was ever ready to spend enough funds on its maintenance and upkeep, he added.
Virbhadra Singh said that Bhimakali in Sarahan was also a temple in which he was a Trustee and it was not his private property. He said that even Maheshwar Singh should understand the importance of formation of Trust.
The Chief Minister also stressed upon preserving the old temples of the State and that too in traditional architecture. He said that our lives revolve around our deities and they need to be conserved at all cost.