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RAJKOT, INDIA, February 23, 2005: In the wake of a scandal, trustees of the Radharaman Swaminarayan temple in Junagadh (Vadtal sect) now want to keep the sadhus on the straight and narrow. The new code of conduct announced on Monday bars contact and conversation with women, ownership of private property and all luxury items, including a television. At a meeting attended by all members of the Radharaman Trust of Junagadh Swaminarayan temple, including chairman Devnandan Das, rules were framed barring sadhus from owning property and making any kind of investment. It was also decided that luxury items should be removed from their rooms/houses, their bank balances monitored and that violations of guidelines would invite punishment. However, the board has not yet decided what to do with sadhus who already own property and have invested in the stock market, real estate and gold market.



“Amid protests from a section of sadhus, the code of conduct was implemented Monday. This will be effective for several Swaminarayan temples located in the five districts of Saurashtra–Junagadh, Rajkot, Porbandar, Amreli and Jamnagar,” said Purshottam Thumar, vice-chairman of Radharaman Trust. The new rules also restrict their movement in the civilian area of the temple complex. They can no longer travel alone and they have been proscribed from entering the devotees’ rooms. The rules also make it mandatory for them to be present at various prayers. A log of their movement will be maintained and sadhus have been banned from attending marriages, keeping two-wheelers or travelling in four-wheelers without a driver.

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