Temples Should Be Centers of Social Equality – Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

Tirupati : Temples are places of devotion, but they should once again become centers of social equality, as they were in ancient times, said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

He was speaking at the International Temple Convention and Expo held in Tirupati, where he was present along with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Goa Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant, Acharya Govinddev Giri Maharaj, Union Minister Shripad Naik, Cultural Affairs Minister Advocate Ashish Shelar, and other dignitaries.

Chief Minister Fadnavis noted that this year marks the 300th anniversary of the birth of Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar, and the event being held this year is a significant occasion. He mentioned that during a time when foreign invaders destroyed our culture, Ahilyadevi Holkar took the initiative to rebuild temples and ghats across the country, from the east to the west and from the north to the south. After Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Ahilyadevi played a crucial role in the restoration of dharma.

He also spoke about the significance of social equality at major gatherings, such as the Mahakumbh, where 50 crore people bathe together without asking about caste or creed. He emphasized that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strengthened the Sanatan way of life, uniting India through the common thread of Sanatan culture.

Temples, he stated, are not just places of worship but also places for social transformation and education. He urged that temples, which were centers of social equality in ancient times, should once again serve that purpose. He also praised the management of the Tirupati Temple, a government trust, and compared it with the Shri Sant Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan in Shegaon, Maharashtra, both of which are excellent models of temple management.

The convention, which includes representatives from temple managements in 57 countries, will discuss various aspects of temple management, including facilities for devotees, crowd management, waste management, and cleanliness. Chief Minister Fadnavis concluded by sharing that earlier in the day, he had visited the Lord Balaji temple in Tirupati.