Vishwa Hindu Parishad to Launch Temple Cleanliness Mega Campaign from Today

Organised by the Temple and Priest Outreach Wing, West Maharashtra Province

Pune: Temples are centres of faith, values and social unity. Along with preserving the sanctity of temples, maintaining cleanliness and ensuring that temple premises remain beautiful and pleasant is a collective responsibility. With this objective, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, through its Temple and Priest Outreach Wing, Maharashtra-Goa, has organised a Temple Cleanliness Mega Campaign on October 31 and November 1, informed Dhanaji Shinde, Provincial Head of the Wing.

With the motto ‘My Temple, My Responsibility’, every devotee is encouraged to participate in this initiative. The campaign will be conducted from 7 am to 11 am on both days at temples in their respective localities. Citizens have been urged to identify one or more temples in their area and plan the cleanliness drive in consultation with the temple trustees, priests and management. Members of organisations, volunteers from satsang groups, youth, women and local devotees should also be encouraged to participate in the campaign through voluntary service.

Provincial Co-Head Sameer Gharote said that the campaign will include sweeping temple premises, removing cobwebs, cleaning floors and entrances, as well as cleaning worship utensils and other religious materials. The sanctum sanctorum and religious articles should be cleaned in accordance with temple traditions and under the guidance of authorised persons.

Arrangements should also be made for essential cleaning materials such as brooms, brushes, buckets, cloth, gloves and garbage bags. Floral offerings, wet waste and dry waste should be segregated and disposed of appropriately. An appeal has also been made to form local volunteer groups to ensure that regular cleanliness is maintained at temples even after the campaign.