God meets gold meets faith in ‘PM’s works’ at Kashi Vishwanath Temple

An official of the temple trust said the gold plating of the inner walls, using 37 kg gold, was completed over three days – February 25 to 27 – though the exercise for it began a fortnight ago.

In the next phase, gold plating would be done of the outer walls.

The official, who did not want to be named, said an anonymous devotee from South India had donated over 60 kg gold, specifying that 37 kg of it be used for gold plating the inner walls.

BJP sources said the businessman wanted 37 kg for the inner walls as this was “equivalent to the weight of” Modi’s mother Heeraben. According to party leaders, the businessman felt this was one way for devotees to express gratitude to Modi for “his contribution” to the temple and surroundings, through building of the corridor to the Ganga.

Officials said the last time the temple saw gold plating was when Maharaja Ranjit Singh from Punjab had offered about 23 “mann” (1 mann is more than 35 kg) of gold to cover the dome, in the 18th century. “This is the first time such a huge quantity of gold has been donated by someone for the temple. Earlier, people donated gold in the form of jewellery,” the trust official said.

The original inner walls have marble upto a height of 12 feet and red sandstone above it to the dome. The temple trust official said patches had appeared on the marble due to the smoke of diyas lit for prayers, and could not be cleaned despite several efforts.

So a fortnight ago, a layer of silicon fibre was laid over the marble and sandstone. Copper frames were also prepared of the sculptures of gods and goddess and Har Har Mahadev carved on the marble, and gold plating done of the same and the walls.

The official said the silver on the four door frames of the sanctum sanctorum would also be replaced with gold very soon.

Om Prakash Mishra, the archak (priest) at the temple, said: “Gold plating has enhanced the aura of the temple. It glitters when lights are switched on.” He added that the temple would be one of its kind when gold plating is done of the door frames as well as outer walls.

Deepak Agarwal, Divisional Commissioner, Varanasi told The Indian Express: “We received information that 60 kg gold had been anonymously donated to the temple in the form of a decorative structure. The donor got the structure made by a Delhi-based jeweller, who came and installed it in the garbh griha (sanctum sanctorum). The remaining gold will be installed in the tower structure. The donor remained anonymous and only details pertaining to the structure were obtained.”

On whether gold equivalent to PM’s mother’s weight had been used for the inner walls of the sanctum sanctorum, Agarwal declined to comment.

Backing the idea of gold plating, an official said, “If somebody donates gold and other valuables, other people cannot see it. But since the gold has been used for plating, pilgrims and all visitors can see it. They will bless the donor.”