The Supreme Court of India dismissed a petition on Tuesday seeking the reconstruction and reinstallation of a damaged seven-foot idol of Lord Vishnu at the Javari Temple, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Khajuraho temple complex in Madhya Pradesh. The bench, led by Chief Justice B R Gavai, characterized the petition as a “publicity interest litigation.”
Filed by Rakesh Dalal, the plea aimed to replace the dilapidated idol and sought the court’s intervention after multiple representations were made to the central home ministry and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The Chief Justice responded dismissively, stating, “This is purely publicity interest litigation… Go and ask the deity himself to do something. If you are saying that you are a strong devotee of Lord Vishnu, then you pray and do some meditation.”
The counsel for the petitioner argued for the idol’s preservation, but the court indicated that the matter fell under the jurisdiction of the ASI. Chief Justice Gavai noted the complexities involved, emphasizing that any decisions regarding the idol would require the ASI’s approval, stating, “It’s an archaeological find, whether the ASI would permit such a thing to be done or not… there are various issues.”
In a lighter tone, the Chief Justice suggested alternatives for worship, mentioning the prominent Shiva linga nearby, saying, “In the meantime, if you are not averse to Shaivism, you can go and worship there… there is a very big linga of Shiva, one of the biggest in Khajuraho.”
