Vrindavan temple priests reject demand to ban Muslim artisans

Mathura: Sending out the message that religious discrimination has no place in temple traditions, priests at Vrindavan’s famed Banke Bihari temple have rejected a demand asking them to stop using costumes made by Muslim artisans for the deity.

The priests also stressed on the deep-rooted contributions of Muslim artisans to temple traditions.

“In Vrindavan, most of the intricate crowns and dresses for the deity are made by Muslim artisans. Similarly, in Kashi, Rudraksha garlands, sacred to Lord Shiva, are crafted by Muslim families,” temple priest Gyanendra Kishore Goswami said.

The demand was raised by Dinesh Sharma, a leader of the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Mukti Sangharsh Nyas, who urged the temple to avoid using the services of Muslim artisans and ensure that Lord Krishna’s attires are crafted only by those who adhere to “religious purity”.

In a letter to the temple priests, the right-wing group argued that the deity’s costumes should not be made by those who “consume meat and do not respect Hindu traditions or cow protection”.

The letter also warned that if the demand was ignored, the organisation would launch a protest.

Rejecting the demand, Goswami said, “It is simply not practical. Moreover, we do not discriminate against any community. Devotees who offer attires for the deity ensure purity themselves before getting them made.”

Goswami also pointed out that artisans cannot be judged based on religion, citing historical examples from Hindu scriptures where both virtuous and sinful individuals were born into the same family.

“If Kansa, a sinner, was born in the same lineage as Lord Krishna’s grandfather Ugrasen, and if Prahlad, a great devotee of Vishnu, was born to the demon Hiranyakashipu, how can we judge artisans based on their faith,” Goswami asked.