A video showing a woman cutting a birthday cake inside the sanctum sanctorum of Varanasi’s Kaal Bhairav temple has sparked widespread criticism from devotees and religious leaders. The incident, which took place last Friday, features Mamata Rai, a model with over one million Instagram followers, celebrating her birthday by cutting a cake in front of the temple’s deity. In the video, Rai is seen performing rituals before offering the first slice of the cake to the deity.
The video quickly went viral, drawing backlash from many who felt the act disrespected the sanctity of the temple. Devotees expressed their displeasure over the act of cake cutting within the temple’s holy space, and some criticized the temple priest for not intervening.
In response to the growing controversy, the temple’s chief priest, Mahant Naveen Giri, has attempted to downplay the incident. He explained that Rai had requested to offer cake to the deity, and such offerings are not uncommon at the temple. “It was nothing new; people offer cake here. Like others, she also cut her cake and offered it. We were unaware of her large social media following, and the video made it appear as though she was celebrating her birthday inside the temple,” Giri said. He added that the temple management was not informed in advance and that the incident was blown out of proportion. To prevent further misunderstandings, the temple has decided to prohibit cake-cutting and offering inside the temple moving forward.
The incident has also drawn criticism from the Kashi Vidwat Parishad, a religious organization in Varanasi. Ram Narayan Dwivedi, the General Secretary of the Parishad, condemned the act, stating that cake-cutting is not part of traditional Vedic practices. “This incident is deeply unfortunate. People should seek blessings from the deity on their birthday, not engage in practices like cake cutting and blowing out candles inside temples. We will be sending a legal notice to Mamata Rai and also approaching the Chief Minister to ensure such practices are discouraged,” Dwivedi said.
The controversy continues to divide opinions, with some defending Rai’s actions while others insist on the preservation of religious traditions.
