Chaos to corridor: UP's plan for safer Banke Bihari darshan, the debate around it

India Today

4 days ago

Vrindavan's Banke Bihari Mandir sees huge crowds on any given day, but in the weeks of Janmashtami or Holi, the scenario changes completely. The lanes choke with thousands of devotees trying to push forward for darshan. In the narrow stretch outside, shopkeepers keep shouting to be heard, vendors try to make space with trays of prasad balanced in their hands. A couple of cows wander in too. The result is a mess that most people agree doesn't feel safe.advertisementPeople here still talk about Janmashtami 2022 when, amid heavy rush, two lives were lost and several devotees were hurt in a stampede accident. Many say the memories of that unfortunate day haven't faded. They rekindle every time the crowd swells. There were too many inside and outside the gates, too few exits, no proper queue, and no quick way to get help that day, they say.In that context, the proposed Banke Bihari Corridor is the government's answer to strike a balance between reverence and reality. Government officials believe it will widen access roads, bring order to the darshan process and add basic facilities like toilets, drinking water and medical posts. But the plan has run into resistance from those who worry about the cost to tradition.DEARTH OF FACILITIES, SWELLING CROWD
Locals and regular visitors know the situation well. Toilets? Maybe a few and often in poor condition. Clean water? Mostly from small stalls. First aid? Nowhere close enough to matter in an emergency. On busy days, the narrow approach lanes become a crush, with no formal crowd management.The corridor blueprint talks about wider entry and exit points, separate lanes for darshan, rest areas for elderly pilgrims and medical stations. For a temple that attracts lakhs each year, the argument is simple. These are basics that should have been there years ago.FEAR OF LOSING CONTROL LOOMS LARGEThe pushback is led by the Sevayat Goswami community, hereditary priests who have served here for generations. Their main fear is not about amenities but about losing control over the temple's daily rituals and traditions. They also worry that the unique atmosphere, shaped over centuries, might be altered permanently.Government officials have promised that the seva-puja system will remain as it is, that sevayats will keep their roles and that anyone displaced (shopkeepers, residents) will be compensated and relocated fairly. The Supreme Court too, it seems, finds some merit in the argument presented by the state. But it doesn't seem enough to convince critics.THE KASHI MODELadvertisementThe Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi started with the same worries. In Varanasi, when the corridor plan was first made public, local groups and heritage voices worried about buildings being pulled down, the old identity being lost and the area turning too commercial. But as the work went on, older structures were repaired, some open space was created for rituals and access got easier. Now, even people who were against it at the start admit it has helped without taking away the temple's character.SOMEWHERE BETWEEN FAITH AND PRACTICALITYAs per the plan, the state government is set to acquire five acres of land around the iconic temple. But this area currently houses around 300 temples and residential buildings where people have lived for hundreds of years that will now have to be demolished.The government has contended that the corridor will help in the movement of devotees. There is also hope that proper development of the area will bring in more tourists and pilgrims.Faith will always draw crowds to Vrindavan. But the lanes outside the temple are not equipped for those numbers. And when something goes wrong, it is the devotees who pay the price.Those backing the idea say the corridor is the only way to avoid a repeat of 2022. Those against it argue that development should not come at the cost of heritage. Somewhere between the two is the middle ground: Safer, cleaner access without touching the rituals that define Banke Bihari.- EndsMust Watch