Committee mulls cap on number of ‘bhandaris’ at Banke Bihari temple

Banke Bihari Temple Panel Considers Restricting Bhandaris

Indiadailyupdate.com – A Supreme Court-appointed committee overseeing Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan is considering a limit on the number of bhandaris permitted to handle devotees’ offerings, as part of a wider effort to strengthen accountability in the temple’s administration.

The proposal was discussed during the committee’s 19th meeting on Tuesday evening. The panel is chaired by retired Allahabad high court judge Justice Ashok Kumar and was formed in August 2025 to address longstanding management concerns at the prominent temple.

Focus on accountable handling of offerings

Justice Kumar said the committee remains focused on carrying out the Supreme Court’s August 25 directions, which call for a clear and transparent system to prevent any misuse or loss of offerings made by worshippers.

“All steps will be taken to counter any irregularities related to offerings and a proposal was discussed to limit the number of ‘bhandaris’,” said Justice Ashok Kumar.

Bhandaris are individuals who receive offerings presented by devotees to the deity. The committee’s discussion reflects concern over how these offerings are handled before they enter the temple’s formal financial system.

Justice Kumar said the conduct of some bhandaris near donation boxes had been found to be inappropriate. The committee noted instances in which offerings were allegedly retained or passed on instead of being handled through an authorised process.

“None without proper authority will be allowed access to the temple,” Kumar said.

The proposed cap is intended to ensure that only the number of people genuinely needed for the task are present in sensitive areas of the temple. A smaller, authorised group could make supervision easier and reduce the scope for confusion over the movement of cash and other offerings.

Supreme Court directions shape the review

The Supreme Court had made clear that donations at the temple must be credited to the deity’s funds before anyone connected with the institution can deal with them. Its directions came during proceedings concerning allegations that donations were being siphoned away.

The court instructed the committee managing the temple’s affairs to create a transparent mechanism so that every offering can be properly recorded and accounted for. The current deliberations over bhandaris form part of that broader compliance exercise.

For devotees, the question is not merely administrative. Offerings are often made as acts of faith, and a transparent system is meant to assure worshippers that money and valuables given in the temple reach their intended destination.

Limiting access to donation-related spaces may also help define responsibility more clearly. When fewer authorised people are assigned to receive or manage offerings, the committee can more easily establish procedures for supervision, documentation and transfer to temple funds.

Valuables, festivals and crowd movement also discussed

The committee also examined concerns involving valuable items donated to the deity. Complaints had been received that certain donated valuables were not being used in line with established tradition during special occasions.

Temple valuables can carry both material and religious significance, particularly when they are intended for ceremonial use. The committee’s review indicates that the management exercise extends beyond cash donations to include articles presented by devotees for the deity.

Preparations connected with Radhashthami were among the other matters discussed. The panel also considered funds allocated for the observance, as well as flower-based temple decoration known as phool bangla.

Phool bangla arrangements are an important visual aspect of special temple occasions, involving elaborate floral settings. By reviewing related spending and arrangements, the committee is examining how ceremonial traditions can continue alongside stronger administrative controls.

Crowd conditions in the passage leading to the temple were also raised at the meeting. Managing movement through approach routes is especially important at a heavily visited place of worship, where congestion can affect devotees’ access and the orderly functioning of temple operations.

A broader effort to improve temple governance

The high-powered committee was created to address issues surrounding the administration and management of Banke Bihari Temple. Its discussions now cover offerings, access control, donated valuables, festival spending, decoration and crowd-related concerns.

No final figure for the proposed number of bhandaris was announced following the meeting. However, the committee’s position signals that the existing arrangement is under review and that future access to offering-related duties will depend on proper authority.

The central objective remains compliance with the Supreme Court’s requirement that donations be safeguarded through a transparent process. Any eventual changes to staffing or access at the temple would be expected to support that goal while preserving the traditions associated with worship at Banke Bihari Temple.