Indore HC Ends 72-Year Ram Mandir Dispute, Declares Shree Ram Absolute Owner

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court has settled a 72-year-old dispute over the management of Shree Ram Mandir in Khachrod, Ujjain district, holding that deity Shree Ram is the absolute owner of the temple and its movable and immovable properties.

The shrine will remain under State management through the Revenue Department.

Justice Vinay Saraf pronounced the judgment on Tuesday in a first appeal filed in 1968, arising from a civil suit filed in 1954 by Ratandas, son of Murlidas Bairagi.

The dispute concerned the temple's management, status of its priest, control over its properties and the role of the Maheshwari community.

Ratandas claimed the temple was established by Baba Mayaramdas and that, under Ramanand sect customs, its Mahant and priest were selected according to traditional practices.

He sought the right to manage the temple and its properties and an injunction against alleged interference by the Maheshwari community.

The State and Maheshwari community disputed his claims, maintaining that the temple belonged to the community and Ratandas was only a priest appointed under the Auqaf administration.

The High Court found that Mahant Murlidas had approached Auqaf authorities to bring the temple under State supervision. On Oct 15, 1930, the Auqaf Department took the temple and its properties under State control.

The court held that the arrangement had attained finality and the State, through the Auqaf Department now merged with the Revenue Department was the temple's manager.

The court found that Ramanand sect ascetics performed the Bhekh ceremony and nominated Ratandas as Mahant.

The Auqaf Committee later appointed him priest and handed him charge of the temple in 1948. The charge was later withdrawn following objections from Maheshwari community members.

The High Court set aside the trial court's 1968 judgment dismissing Ratandas' suit. It declared Shree Ram the absolute owner of the temple at Ramolla, Khachrod and all its movable and immovable properties.

It also held that the Auqaf Department had the authority to appoint the priest and recognised Ratandas as the duly appointed Pujari, entitled to perform priestly duties.

However, the court declined Ratandas' plea for a perpetual injunction against the Maheshwari community, noting that its members are devotees of the temple.

The dispute had earlier reached the Supreme Court. A 1993 High Court judgment allowing the appeal was set aside by the Supreme Court in 2020, which remanded the matter for fresh consideration on merits.

The judgment thus recognises the deity's ownership, continued State management and Ratandas' status as Pujari, while allowing Maheshwari community members to continue as devotees.