Varanasi. An investigation has been initiated after a complaint alleging that gold has gone missing from the golden spire of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple reached the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The PMO has recorded the statement of the complainant, advocate Nityanand Rai, over the phone. Separately, the temple administration has launched an internal inquiry following directions from the Chief Minister’s Office. Meanwhile, temple officials maintain that a small golden finial mounted above the northern gate fell recently and has been kept safely in the temple’s storage facility. Technical assessment and repair work are being planned before it is reinstalled.
Complaint Sent to the Prime Minister’s and Chief Minister’s Offices
Nityanand Rai, an advocate residing in the Teliyabagh area of Varanasi, submitted a complaint on September 29 to the divisional commissioner, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Chief Minister’s Office. He alleged that golden finials were missing from two locations directly above the temple’s northern entrance.
According to the advocate, he sought information from the temple administration regarding the alleged disappearance but did not receive a clear response. He also pointed out that no information about the reported removal or disappearance of gold from the spire had been made public on the temple’s official website.
In his complaint, Rai referred to previous incidents involving the alleged theft of gold and silver articles from the temple and called for the actual condition of the golden spire to be clarified. He said the status of the goldwork and the finials reportedly missing from the structure needed to be established to address concerns and prevent confusion.
Advocate Claims Gold Plating Is Loose in Several Areas
The advocate has also claimed that gold appears to be missing from small sections of other parts of the golden spire. According to him, portions of the gold plating have become loose in several places and can be seen moving. He expressed concern that strong winds or other disturbances could cause the loosened sections to fall.
Rai has demanded a technical assessment of the entire golden spire and an impartial investigation into all the issues raised in his complaint. However, the allegations regarding missing gold and loose plating have not yet been independently verified. The findings of the ongoing inquiries are expected to clarify the condition of the structure, the locations requiring repairs and the actual status of the golden finials.
Demand for a White Paper on Gold and Silver in the Temple Complex
The advocate has also urged the temple administration to publish a detailed white paper documenting the use of gold and silver across the Kashi Vishwanath Dham complex. He has demanded that the information be made available on the temple’s official website.
According to Rai, the document should provide details about the locations where gold and silver have been installed, along with information about the condition of the precious-metal coverings and related structures. Making these details public, he argued, would improve transparency regarding the maintenance and current status of the valuable materials used within the temple complex.
IIT Madras Team Conducts Technical Survey
According to the temple administration, a golden finial installed above the northern gate fell recently during a disturbance caused by monkeys jumping around the structure. Following the incident, the finial was immediately moved to the temple’s storage facility for safekeeping.
The administration has maintained that reinstalling the finial without a technical examination would not have been appropriate. It therefore contacted the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras for technical assistance.
The institute’s technical team has completed an initial survey and recommended comprehensive repairs to the entire golden spire rather than limiting the work to reinstalling the fallen finial. The assessment is expected to help determine the condition of other sections and identify the repairs required to ensure the structure is properly maintained.
Divisional Commissioner S. Rajalingam said a golden finial had fallen in a recent incident and was now safely stored at the Vishwanath Dham complex. He added that IIT Madras had been asked to conduct a survey for its restoration and that the finial would be reinstalled soon with the institute’s assistance.
The findings of the PMO’s inquiry and the separate investigation initiated by the temple administration remain awaited. These inquiries are expected to establish the facts surrounding the complaint, determine whether any gold is actually missing from the spire and identify the repairs needed before the fallen finial is restored to its original position.
