Mewar royal family dispute: Vishvaraj Singh visits Eklingji temple

Jaipur: Amid an ongoing dispute within the erstwhile Mewar royal family in Rajasthan, Nathdwara MLA and newly anointed 'king' Vishvraj Singh reached the Eklingji temple in Udaipur on Wednesday to offer his prayers.

This ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, built by Bappa Rawal in 734 AD, holds significant importance for the Mewar dynasty. According to tradition, every anointed king of Mewar visits this temple to seek the blessings of Lord Eklingji.

Singh's supporters also demanded to go inside the temple with him, but the police stopped them outside. However, Vishvraj Singh entered the temple. At the same time, the entry of common people has been stopped in the temple for some time.

Earlier at 10 a.m., Vishvraj traditionally worshipped the mare and performed other rituals in his Samor Bagh Palace before visiting the temple. Meanwhile, tight security arrangements have been made in Samor Bagh, City Palace and Eklingji.

As part of the family’s ritual, Vishvaraj Singh will wear a silver stick on his shoulder during the visit. His temple visit comes two days after his coronation ceremony in Chittorgarh.

However, the coronation has intensified tensions within the royal family. On Monday, a dispute arose when Vishvaraj Singh was prevented from performing the traditional 'Dhuni Darshan' at Udaipur’s City Palace, which is under the control of his uncle, Arvind Singh Mewar. The disagreement escalated into stone-pelting incidents in Udaipur on Monday night, leading Vishvaraj Singh to criticize the administration for its inaction. In response, the district collector imposed Section 163 (formerly Section 144) around the City Palace to maintain law and order.

The conflict deepened after Monday night’s clashes outside the City Palace. Though the administration appointed a receiver to mediate, no consensus was reached on Tuesday regarding Dhuni Darshan.

Meanwhile, both Vishvaraj Singh and Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar traded accusations without directly naming each other. Vishvaraj described the refusal to allow Dhuni Darshan as an act of "dictatorship", while Lakshyaraj claimed that Vishvaraj had not sought permission from the trustees or palace management, leading to his denial of entry.

Udaipur Superintendent of Police (SP) Yogesh Goyal stated that Vishvaraj Singh, his family, and a select group of dignitaries would be allowed to enter the Eklingji Temple. However, in the event of large crowds, entry would be temporarily restricted to ensure order."

A huge police force has been deployed here to avoid any further tension, said police officials.