The Bombay High Court has allowed the Shri Vitthal Rukmini Mandir Samiti to proceed with chemical coating of the Lord Vitthal and Goddess Rukmini murtis at Pandharpur to prevent further erosion, rejecting devotees’ plea that the traditional procedure laid down by shastras should be followed.
Justice Shailesh P. Brahme observed that the petitioners, who claimed to be devotees and archaks, had not cited any specific norms from the shastras or agamas to support their plea to follow the traditional procedure. “It can be safely inferred that deterioration of the murtis is recurring and the respondent-committee is obliged to take care of it. It is a continuous process. No objection to the procedure can be entertained, unless there is scientific foundation,” the August 7 order read.
The high court said the petitioners’ submissions were “absurd” and “tainted” by a “fishing inquiry”, adding that “mere allegations of defilement of murtis due to use of chemicals is misplaced apprehension”.
The petitioners objected to the committee’s decision to coat the murti with chemicals to prevent erosion. They sought to restrain the committee from carrying out the chemical coating and insisted that the traditional vajralep method be followed.
Justice Shailesh P Brahme noted that the temple committee’s decision was not taken on its own, but was based on a report by the deputy superintendent and archaeological chemist. The trial court initially granted an interim injunction against the coating on June 22, 2026. The temple committee challenged the order before the appellate court, which reversed it on July 17, 2026.
The high court noted that the committee’s decision was based on a December 19, 2025 report authored by the deputy superintendent archaeological chemist of Aurangabad. Rejecting the argument that the committee lacked authority under the Pandharpur Temples Act, 1973, to undertake chemical coating, the court held that the committee is a legal body whose powers and duties include preserving and maintaining the murtis and deities.
When stone wears with time, science becomes the shield that protects faith.
