Potra Kund and Gopinath Temple handed over to private parties 

• Archeological sites of Potra Kund in Mathura and Gopinath temple handed over to the private parties for protection and maintenance
• Shri Gopinath Temple authorities objected to the handover, refute the claim of ownership by the government

2023.05.10 (Vrindavan Today News): The State Archaeological Department in Mathura has given responsibility for the protection and maintenance of two ancient monuments, Shri Gopinath Temple of Vrindavan and  Potrakund located at the birthplace of Shri Krishna, to private parties. The contracts were signed between the Archaeological Officer and the private entities in the presence of the Chief Development Officer, Manish Meena.

This move is in line with the Central Government’s Adopt Heritage Policy, which aims to take care of the protected monuments under the Survey of India through private institutions. The Uttar Pradesh State Government has also decided to make private organizations “memorial friends” to take care of state-protected monuments, with Smarak Mitras appointed to manage public facilities, maintenance, and upkeep.

GLA University has already been made a memorial friend by the Department of Archaeology for Kusum Sarovar and Raskhan’s mausoleum, as confirmed by the Regional Archaeological Officer, Rajeev Tiwari. In the future, Smarak Mitras will be appointed to take care of other protected monuments in Uttar Pradesh, with the management of tourism-related facilities and public facilities also falling under the responsibility of memorial friends.

Potrakund, located near the birthplace of Shri Krishna, has been handed over to an organization in Mumbai, while the Gopinath Temple in Vrindavan has been given to Abhishek Goswami, a resident of Vrindavan. Rajeev Tiwari expressed optimism about the new arrangement and expects that it will benefit the protection and maintenance of ancient heritage sites.

HANDING OVER OBJECTED BY GOPINATH TEMPLE

While Potra Kund in Mathura is a public property owned by the Department of State Archeology, the temple of Shri Gopinath is owned by the Goswamis. Shri Raja Goswami refuted the claim that State Archaeology is the owner of this temple.

Talking to Vrindavan Today, Shri Gopinath Lal Dev Goswami (Raja) said, “Shri Gopinath Dev ji is the sole owner of the ancient temple, and we, the sevait of the temple represent Him. The government doesn’t have any role to play in this temple. Unlike Shri Govinda Dev and Madan Mohan temple, we never handed over our temple to the government for protection and maintenance. We have been maintaining this temple with our limited resources and the support from the devotees.”

“We have personal issues and dispute with the father of the individual to whom the temple is being handed over. We shall not let any outsider take over the temple in the name of its protection and maintenance.”  Added Shri Gopinath Lal Dev Goswami.

He informed that he had already talked to the District Officials in this regard, who has promised to investigate how the temple was handed over. If the administration doesn’t revoke the handing over permission, we shall take legal action against the department.