Ujjain: A major organized racket attempting to defraud devotees under the guise of religious rituals, darshan, and special pujas has been exposed at the Mahakaleshwar Temple and Shipra River ghats. Employees of a private company, allegedly posing as authorized priests, were found misleading pilgrims for petty monetary gain. They were even promising refunds if the rituals were deemed unsatisfactory, further deceiving the unsuspecting visitors.
Unauthorized Company misled Devotees
The extensive operation was dismantled by local Tirth Purhohits (pilgrimage priests). The company, operating under the name ‘VR,’ was found to be working without any authorization from the Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple Committee. According to complaints, these employees, dressed in priestly attire, actively solicited naive devotees, enticing them into the temple complex.
Scamming in the name of Astrology and Rituals
As informed by Pandit Gaurav Upadhyay, the fraudsters would lure pilgrims with promises of horoscope analysis and highly-priced religious ceremonies. With a setup inside the temple vicinity, they easily defrauded devotees into spending hefty sums on bogus rituals. A formal complaint detailing all these activities has been lodged with the authorities.
Fraud extended to Bhasmarti and Accommodation
Further investigation revealed that the company was not only conducting unauthorized rituals but also involved in large-scale fraud related to the sacred Bhasmarti (ash aarti) and deceiving travelers with false promises of booking rooms in the official temple dharmashala (rest house).
Appeal for Caution: Trust only Authorized Priests
Following the bust, the Shri Ramghat Tirth Purohit Sabha, Avantikapuri, has issued an earnest appeal to all devotees to be wary of fraudulent online or local companies that promise quick, shortcut rituals. They urged pilgrims to engage only with the traditionally recognized, government-authorized local Purohits for genuine religious ceremonies and to ignore touts, auto-rickshaw drivers, or lodge operators offering such services.
