For the first time in more than five centuries, a daily ritual at the famous Banke Bihari Mandir in Vrindavan was interrupted on December 15. Shri Thakur Banke Bihari Ji was not offered Bal Bhog in the morning or Shayan Bhog in the evening, surprising and upsetting devotees. This daily tradition, followed without a break for over 500 years, stopped due to an administrative issue involving the temple’s appointed confectioner, raising concerns about how sacred practices are being handled.
Salary Dispute Led to Ritual Disruption
The disruption was linked to Mayank Gupta, the mandir’s appointed confectioner who prepares bhog and prasad for Banke Bihari Ji. Sources said he had not received his salary for several months. In protest, he did not prepare the offerings on December 15. As a result, devotees had darshan without the usual bhog, something that had never happened in the temple’s long history.
Banke Bihari Ji Not Offered Bhog
The Supreme Court-appointed High Power Committee, which manages the temple, acknowledged that bhog was not offered that day. Committee member Dinesh Goswami said steps are being taken to ensure this does not happen again. Temple Goswamis and devotees expressed deep concern, questioning whether administrative control can protect age-old religious traditions.