Hanuman mural row: Man applies black paint on mural, damages paintings

The temple management installed a giant 54-foot statue of Lord Hanuman on the premises. The wall of its pedestal is covered in murals. In one of the murals, Lord Hanuman is seen kneeling in front of Lord Swaminarayan with hands put together. It created controversy when a picture of the mural went viral.

Botad(Gujarat): Amid the controversy over the mural showing Lord Hanuman kneeling before Sahajanand Swami at a famous Hanuman temple in the Botad district of Gujarat, a man on Saturday allegedly applied black colour on the mural paintings on the lower part of the 54-foot statue, police said. The man entered the compound by breaking the barricade with a stick and then damaged the frescoes.

Botad Deputy Superintendent of Police, K. S. Baloliya said, "A man entered the compound through the garden. The man identified as Harshad Jitubhai Gadhvi intentionally entered the temple premises. An investigation has been started and after the incident, the entry inside the temple has been restricted."

According to sources, the Brahmo Samaj leaders recently held a protest over the installation of the controversial picture and demanded for the removal of the painting. Slogans were raised by the Brahmo Samaj workers in Rajkot and a massive protest was held. Meanwhile, Karni Sena has also held a protest in Rajkot.

Meanwhile, the All India Mahila Congress on Friday sent an application to the District Magistrate and demanded legal action into the matter. Notably, the Swaminarayan sect, which is divided into several factions, refers to Sahajanand Swami (1781-1830) as Lord Swaminarayan. The Hanuman temple in Salangpur is managed by the Vadtal Gadi faction of the sect.

A few months ago, the temple management installed a giant 54-foot statue of Lord Hanuman on the premises. The wall of its pedestal is covered in murals. In one of the murals, Lord Hanuman is seen kneeling in front of Lord Swaminarayan with hands put together. It created controversy when a picture of the mural went viral. (With Agency Inputs)