JUNAGARDH, PAKISTAN, November 22, 2008: The two-decade long wait of the people of Madhavpura for the lost chariot belonging to Madhavrai Temple finally ended on Friday. The chariot was installed in its original place in the temple with great pomp.
The chariot was built almost 150 years ago and was donated to Madhavrai Temple by a Mumbai businessman. In 1987, it was dispatched to a Junagadh-based carpenter for renovation. However, the carpenter sold it to an antique dealer and replaced it with a duplicate. Later, it reached Jaipur via Ahmedabad. The CBI raided an art gallery and recovered the chariot when it was about to be shipped out of the country. Following investigations, the CBI found out that the chariot belonged to the temple.
Thousands of residents of this small coastal town in Junagadh district queued up on both sides of the road for 3 km to welcome the chariot and witness this historic event. Shops and businesses remained shut for half a day to pay respect to the chariot. Naginbhai Popat, social worker and trader said: “People welcomed the chariot with slogans and drumbeats. It was almost like Diwali.” Thousands of people from all walks of life took part in the celebration.