Pune: PM Narendra Modi to inaugurate temple dedicated to 17th-century saint Tukaram Maharaj in Dehu today

Pune: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Tuesday inaugurate a temple dedicated to 17th-century saint Tukaram Maharaj in Dehu, near Pune city.

A statement said that PM Modi will inaugurate the Jagatguru Shrisant Tukaram Maharaj Temple at around 1:45 pm.

Tukaram, a warkari saint and poet, was a prominent figure in the Bhakti movement.

He was known for 'abhanga' devotional poetry and for leading community-based worship through spiritual songs known as kirtans. He lived in Dehu.

After his demise, a Shila Mandir was constructed, though it was not formally established as a temple. The statement said it was rebuilt in stone with 36 peaks, and it contains an idol of Saint Tukaram.

Meanwhile, an official on Monday revealed that the verses (abhang) to be written on the 'Tukaram Pagdi', the traditional headgear to be presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his June 14 visit to Pune, were changed because trustees of the temple trust were not happy.

Murudkar Zendewale, Pune's renowned turban-making firm, has designed a special 'Tukaram Pagdi' that will be presented to the PM during the temple's inauguration.

"The 'abhang' (verses) written on the pagdi by the designer was 'bhale tari deu kasechi langhoti, nathalachya mathi hanu kathi' (if someone is good to us, we will give them everything. If they take undue advantage of our goodwill, we will teach them a lesson). However, the actual line of the abhang starts as 'mau melahuni amhi vishnudas, kathin vajras bhedu aise, bhale tari deu kasechi langhoti' (If a person is good with us, we are very good with him. We are ready to help a person who is nice to us. If we think of helping someone, we will give go the extra mile to help but if somebody takes disadvantage of our good behaviour, we will not think twice before beating him with a stick). We asked them to change it," said Nitin More, who is the chief trustee of the temple trust.

According to him, the abhang lines used by the designer didn't go well with the event and that is why "we asked the firm to change them".

"We did not give the lines of the abhang to the designer, they used them on their own," More said.

"After we pointed out, Murudkar Zendewale changed the line to 'vishnumay jag, vaishvancha dharm, bhedabhed bhram amangal', which talks about denouncing discrimination in the world," he said.

Girish Murudkar, a representative of Murudkar Zendewale firm, told news agency PTI the abhang lines have been changed upon the request of trustees.