Go and ask the deity itself to do something now” CJI B R Gavai said Rejecting the Plea to Restore Lord Vishnu Idol at Javari Temple, Khajuraho

On Tuesday, the supreme court dismissed a petition seeking restoration of lord vishnu’s idol  at  Javari Temple, which is the part of UNESCO Khajuraho complex in MP. Rakesh Dalal, a hindu devotee filed the petition   asking the court to direct the authorities to either restore or re-install the 7-foot beheaded idol of Lord Vishnu which was allegedly defaced during the time of invasions.  

During the hearing of this case, the bench comprising CJI B.R. Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran heard the petitioner’s argument of repeated requests to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and how the central government had yielded no action. The ASI’s official response stated that while the conservation of Khajuraho temples is their responsibility, replacing a historic idol with a new one is not permitted under current archaeological rules.

Refusing to entertain the matter further, the CJI B.R. Gavai termed the petition to be a 'Publicity Interest Litigation'.  In the words of CJI, "This is purely publicity interest litigation…. Go and ask the deity himself to do something. You are saying that you are a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu,so go and pray now."

"It's an archaeological find; it’s the ASI to determine whether such a thing is to be done or not…” the CJI highlighted. “In the meantime, if you are not averse to Shaivism, you can go and worship there - there is a very big linga of Shiva, one of the biggest in Khajuraho,” he added. 

Concisely, the supreme court suggested that devotees are free to pray at the site and even at other prominent idols at Khajuraho, such as its renowned Shiva linga. The request was dismissed and the court emphasised that such a decision of restoring or reconstructing archaeological findings lies under the jurisdiction of the archaeological board and not the court. 

While covering this news, edinbox found that the words of CJI Gavai are being interpreted negatively due to the boldness of his sentence, however, many real devotees including ISKCON members who understand the theological concept of advait, vishnu, and idol worship are not taking offense yet, especially after the recent movie ‘Mahavatar Narsimha; conveyed the deep message of Vishnu Worship and devotion. 

This vishnu idol restoration case is said to highlight the harmony that courts and conservation authorities maintain between the respect of faith and the protection of historical heritage of India. Restoration or reconstruction of ancient idols in protected sites requires the approval of the ASI and must comply with international conservation standards. The Supreme Court made it clear that issues involving the repair or installation of archaeological finds should be handled by experts, not through judicial orders. 

For devotees and visitors, worship at Khajuraho’s UNESCO-recognised temples remains open. The ruling highlights how significant is the need to adhere to the right channels of heritage management while also acknowledging religious sentiments.