Banke Bihari Temple Discovers 15 Hectares of Land in Kota; Nationwide Search for Other Properties to Begin

Mathura (Uttar Pradesh):
In a major development linked to the iconic Shri Banke Bihari Temple of Mathura-Vrindavan, the temple administration has decided to launch a nationwide drive to trace and reclaim properties belonging to the deity. This decision comes after the discovery of around 15 hectares of valuable land in Kota district of Rajasthan, registered in the name of the temple.

The land was traced by the High-Powered Committee constituted on the directions of the Supreme Court. The committee has not only identified the property but has also secured its original documents from the local administration. Encouraged by this breakthrough, the committee has now resolved to search for other temple assets spread across different parts of the country.

High-Powered Committee Takes Key Decisions
A meeting of the committee was held at the Laxman Shaheed Memorial Building in Vrindavan under the chairmanship of retired judge Ashok Kumar. During the meeting, discussions were held on 17 important agenda points. The committee decided to approach the Chief Secretaries of various states to seek official assistance in identifying lands and properties that are recorded in the temple’s name in government records but are currently not in the knowledge or possession of the temple management.

Committee chairman Ashok Kumar said that after tracing the Kota land, the focus has now shifted to systematically organising and securing all properties linked to Shri Banke Bihari Temple. “We will take the help of top officials in different states to locate other properties belonging to the temple. This will enable us to protect and manage temple assets in a transparent and structured manner,” he said.

Historical Claims Extend Beyond India
According to historians and ancient texts, the properties of Banke Bihari Ji also extend to regions that were part of undivided India and now lie in Pakistan. Ancient records mention that the ancestors of the temple had a massive haveli and properties in Uch Gram in Multan, Pakistan. References to land and buildings connected to the temple are also found in Sialkot and Sindh in authentic texts such as Shri Swami Haridas Abhinandan Granth and Kelimalju.

Historical accounts further state that Mughal emperor Akbar had donated 25 bighas of land to the temple in 1594, while Jaipur ruler Sawai Man Singh had gifted three acres of land in 1592. In addition, the princely states of Gwalior, Bharatpur, and Karauli had also contributed large tracts of land and valuable ornaments to the temple over the centuries.

A Step Towards Protecting Sacred Assets
The discovery of land in Kota and the subsequent decision to search for properties across the country is being seen as a significant step towards safeguarding the historical and धार्मिक heritage of Shri Banke Bihari Temple. Temple authorities believe that recovering and properly documenting these assets will strengthen the temple’s financial and administrative foundation, ensuring better facilities for devotees and long-term preservation of its legacy.

With official coordination now set to begin with state governments, the nationwide exercise to trace the temple’s hidden and forgotten assets is expected to gather momentum in the coming months.