Trimbakeshwar Priests and Temple Trust Oppose Two-Month Closure; Mahajan Calls Flagstaff Logo Row a Conspiracy

The proposal to keep Trimbakeshwar temple closed to devotees from 15 October to 15 December 2026 for Kumbh works is now meeting open opposition. No closure order has been published as of 17 October. Our earlier post: Flagstaff puja done; temple closure undecided.

What was said on 16 October

• Manoj Thete, president of the Trimbakeshwar Purohit Sangh, told Sakal that closing the temple and denying darshan is not right. The village economy depends on the temple, he said, and if visitor movement, timing and crowds are managed, closure is not needed. He asked the administration to give the Purohit Sangh and the Devasthan Trust the manpower and cooperation needed to carry out works without stopping darshan. This is on record, quoted by name in Sakal.
• UNI reports that the temple trust and the local priests' association have both urged that daily darshan continue alongside the works, and that the trust has suggested stronger security and extra staff. UNI says the Kumbh Mela Authority "reportedly" proposed the closure. The trust's position is reported by UNI; we could not find a statement from the trust itself.
• Maharashtra Times had reported on 9 October that contractors want the closure so that the darshan path and courtyard works can move ahead, and that the government is considering it.

The flagstaff logo row

Sakal reports a new dispute over the Purohit Sangh's emblem on the Kushavarta flagstaff. Thete said the flagstaff and the Simhastha flag (pataka) are separate matters, that the Sangh registered its emblem this year, and that the staff also carries the Maharashtra government emblem. He said the traditional symbols on the original flag are unchanged.

Kumbh minister Girish Mahajan, quoted by Sakal, said no complaint about the emblem has reached him, that the pujan was held as per tradition, and that there is a plot to defame the Kumbh. That is his on-record statement; we have not seen any evidence or complaint either way. Mahajan also said all 13 akharas will be invited to the flag hoisting on 31 October.

Where this stands

• Temple closure: proposal only, opposed by the Purohit Sangh (on record) and reportedly by the trust. No official decision.
• Flagstaff logo: a dispute between the parties above; no official action reported.
• 31 October flag hoisting at 12:02 PM: unchanged.

If you plan to visit Trimbakeshwar, check the temple trust's notices before travelling. Related: Kumbh status board, Kumbh dates.