Committee mulls cap on number of ‘bhandaris’ at Banke Bihari temple
Temple panel considers tighter control over offerings at Banke Bihari Temple
Bharatmorningnews.com – A high-powered committee overseeing the administration of Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan is considering a limit on the number of “bhandaris” allowed to handle devotees’ offerings, as part of a broader effort to make the temple’s donation system more transparent.
The discussion took place during the committee’s 19th meeting on Tuesday evening, chaired by retired Allahabad high court judge Justice Ashok Kumar. The panel was formed by the Supreme Court in August 2025 to address long-running concerns involving the management and functioning of the temple.
At the centre of the meeting was the Supreme Court’s August 25 direction calling for a clear and accountable process for handling donations. The court had stressed that all money offered by devotees must first enter the deity’s fund and cannot be taken by individuals connected with the temple before reaching the treasury.
“All steps will be taken to counter any irregularities related to offerings and a proposal was discussed to limit the number of ‘bhandaris’ (those who receive offerings made by devotees to the deity),” said justice Ashok Kumar (retired), former judge of Allahabad high court and chairman of the committee, who presided over the panel’s 19th meeting on Tuesday evening.
Focus on accountability near donation boxes
Bhandaris traditionally receive offerings made by worshippers to the deity. The committee examined their presence near donation boxes and raised concerns about conduct observed in that area. Justice Kumar said the number of people assigned to this role may be reduced because the work does not require a large group.
“The conduct of ‘bhandaris’ stationed near donation boxes was found improper. Many a time, they were found to keep the offerings or pass them on and thus a decision has been taken to limit the number of ‘bhandaris’ at the temple because not many are required for the task. None without proper authority will be allowed access to the temple.”
The proposed restriction is intended to make responsibility clearer at points where donations are received. Limiting access to authorised people could help the temple committee identify who is handling offerings and ensure that donations move through the prescribed system before being recorded in the deity’s funds.
The Supreme Court’s intervention followed a matter concerning allegations that donations at the temple were being siphoned off. Its directions require the committee responsible for the temple’s functioning to establish a mechanism through which offerings can be properly accounted for. The emphasis is not only on collecting donations but also on ensuring that their movement is visible and traceable within the temple’s administration.
Valuables and festival arrangements also reviewed
The meeting also addressed valuables donated to the deity. Complaints had been received that some such items were not being used in keeping with tradition during special occasions. Justice Kumar said the committee considered this issue alongside the question of cash offerings.
Donated valuables form a distinct part of temple management because their use can be tied to established customs and ceremonial occasions. The committee’s review indicates that transparency concerns extend beyond money to items entrusted to the deity by devotees.
Preparations and allocations connected with Radhashthami were also discussed. The panel additionally considered the temple’s “phool bangla” decorations, in which floral arrangements are used to decorate the premises. These matters were reviewed along with crowd conditions in the passage leading to the temple.
Managing the approach route is significant because the temple attracts devotees who must move through a confined entry passage before reaching the premises. The committee’s discussion of crowding places visitor movement alongside financial oversight and festival arrangements as part of the temple’s wider administrative responsibilities.
Supreme Court directions shape the next steps
The committee was created under the Supreme Court’s authority in August 2025, with the task of addressing issues that had persisted around Banke Bihari Temple’s administration. Its recent deliberations show that the court’s instructions on donations are now being translated into operational decisions affecting who may receive offerings and access sensitive areas of the temple.
The court made clear that temple-related individuals cannot appropriate offerings before they are deposited in the temple treasury. That direction places the deity’s fund at the start of the financial process and seeks to prevent uncertainty over the handling of devotees’ contributions.
For worshippers, the proposed measures are aimed at ensuring that offerings made in faith are protected through a more structured system. For temple administrators, the challenge will be to enforce authorised access, monitor donation collection and maintain arrangements for religious observances without disrupting the customary functioning of the shrine.
No final details of the proposed cap on bhandaris were announced at the meeting. However, the committee’s position makes clear that reducing unnecessary access around donation boxes is being viewed as an important step toward compliance with the Supreme Court’s order and toward improving accountability in the temple’s daily operations.
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