Golden spire safe, reports of missing gold misleading, clarifies Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust
Varanasi, October 14: The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust and Varanasi Commissioner S. Rajalingam on Wednesday dismissed reports of damage to the temple’s golden spire and alleged missing gold as misleading and baseless, affirming that the structure remains intact.
The Temple Trust has clarified that the damaged portion of the spire is safe in a locker at the temple. The Divisional Commissioner has also denied reports of missing gold and urged people not to believe unverified information and refrain from spreading it further.
The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust stated in a statement issued Wednesday afternoon that in April 2026, a portion of the Shikhara, located in the northwestern corner above the sanctum sanctorum of the main temple of the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham, was damaged. This portion has been safely removed and preserved in the temple’s locker.
The Trust has termed the reports circulating on social media and electronic media regarding this as baseless and misleading.
According to the Trust, the temple is of immense religious significance, as well as historical and archaeological importance. Therefore, instead of rushing through the repair and conservation of the ‘Shikhara’, the work is being carried out in accordance with the technical advice of experts and scientific standards, so that the original structure and historical heritage of the temple are preserved. A team from IIT Madras conducted an inspection and will return in November.
The Temple Trust has initiated the process of seeking technical testing and consultation from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, for the conservation and restoration of the Shikhara. The Institute’s expert team has already conducted a site inspection of the Dham and submitted its preliminary report in July 2026.
The report notes the potential for environmental degradation of natural stone and wood. It also recommends conducting a microscopic analysis of the materials and necessary technical testing before beginning conservation work. The objective is to assess the actual condition of the structure and develop an appropriate conservation action plan based on scientific methods. According to the Trust, an expert team from IIT Madras will re-inspect the main temple complex in November 2026.
Following the inspection and necessary tests, a detailed report will be prepared. Based on this report, necessary measures will be taken to ensure the temple’s structural safety and preserve its religious, historical, and archaeological significance. The Divisional Commissioner also denied the reports.
S. Rajalingam, Commissioner Varanasi division, also issued a statement, stating that reports circulating on social media regarding the disappearance or missing of gold from the temple’s spire, dome, or urn are completely misleading and untrue.
He explained that approximately three months ago, during a hailstorm, a portion of the dome or urn, located directly above the temple’s entrance, collapsed and fell down. The broken portion has been kept in the safe custody of the temple administration. IIT Madras has been commissioned to conduct a study to assess the temple’s structural strength and stability, for which the necessary payment has been made.
According to the Commissioner, the IIT Madras team will visit the temple by the end of this month to inspect it. After receiving the experts’ report, necessary repairs will be carried out based on their suggestions and technical assessment. He appealed to the public not to trust or share any news circulating on social media without verifying it.
Advocate Nityanand Rai, a resident of Teliyabag, Varanasi, filed a complaint on September 29th, sending letters to the Divisional Commissioner, the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Chief Minister’s Office.
He alleged that the Golden Urns were missing from two locations directly above the temple’s northern gate. According to the lawyer, he sought information from the temple administration, but received no response.
He also stated that the temple’s website lacked any information regarding the removal of gold from the pinnacle. In his letter, the lawyer cited previous incidents of gold and silver theft from the temple and demanded clarification of the current status of the Golden Urn and an investigation into the matter.
Currently, the Temple Trust and Divisional Commissioner have dismissed reports of missing gold and stated that the damaged portion is safe. The detailed technical investigation and report by IIT Madras will now be closely monitored to determine the true structural condition of the spire and the necessary conservation measures.
