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Jeans-clad deity costs priest his job
Published on Tue, Sep 19, 2006 at 09:09, Updated on Tue, Sep 19, 2006 at 09:14 in India section
Tags: Bankey Bihari Temple, Vrindavan , Vrindavan
Vrindavan: The caretaker of the Banke Bihari temple Jugal Goswami was relieved from all the responsibilities of the temple on Monday after he dressed the Lord Krishna idol in jeans and T-shirts.
Goswami, at the request of some fun-loving devotees, gave the deity on Thursday a "modern look" complete with jeans and a shirt and wielding a mobile phone.
The western dressing of the idol had led to strong protests in the holy town and raised a public outrage.
Activists of groups like Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) termed the move blasphemy and burnt effigies of the priests. They demanded that "those who defiled the sanctity of the temple" be punished.
Goswami who apologised over the incident urged people not to lend a political colour to the entire episode.
"We devotees of Banke Behari are very much concerned and this should not be lend any political colour by the political parties," said Jugal Goswami.
But the exit of Goswami seemed very imminent since morning as Gokal Behari Das, Mahant of the temple said, "This is a shameful work. Lord Krishna was wearing T-shirt and a jean is really insulting. We want that the people who are involved in this degrading crime should be arrested",
The incident of Lord Krishna idol being dressed in jeans and T-shirt in Banke Bihari temple created a furore.
Sanskrit scholars like Chandan Lal Parasher and Nirmal Giri of the Kailash temple in Agra criticised the "wanton callousness" of the Vrindavan priests.
The Rashtriya Lok Dal and Brahmin Sabha also organised similar protests. Some have called for the sacking of the priests.
Vrindavan one of the holiest places of the Hindu religion, remained completely closed on Monday.
The locals of this small town were also astounded to see the new 'avataar' of Krishna and also registered their objections.
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