Verses on 'Tukaram Pagdi' to be presented to PM changed after temple trust objects

New Delhi, Jun 14: The verses (abhang), to be written on the designer 'Tukaram Pagdi' or traditional headgear to be presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Pune on June 14 to inaugurate a temple, were changed after trustees of the temple trust expressed their displeasure, an official said on Monday.

The PM will inaugurate a temple dedicated to Sant Tukaram Maharaj in Dehu near Pune city during his visit.

Pune's famed turban making firm Murudkar Zendewale has designed a special 'Tukaram Pagdi' which is to be presented to Modi during the inauguration of the temple.

"The 'abhang' (verses) written on the pagdi by the designer was 'bhale tari deu kasechi langhoti, nathalachya mathi hanu kathi' (if a person is good to us we will give him everything, but if that person takes undue advantage of our goodwill, we will teach him a lesson).

"However, the actual line of the abhang starts as 'mau melahuni amhi vishnudas, kathin vajras bhedu aise, bhale tari deu kasechi langhoti' (If a person is good with us, we are very good with him. We are ready to help a person who is nice to us. If we think of helping someone, we will give go extra mile to help but if somebody takes disadvantage of our good behavior, we will not think twice before beating him with a stick). We asked them to change it," said Nitin More, the chief trustee of the temple trust.

He said the abhang lines used by the designer were not going well with the event and hence "we asked the firm to change them".

"We did not give the lines of the abhang to the desinger, they used them on their own," More said.

"After we pointed out, Murudkar Zendewale changed to the line to 'vishnumay jag, vaishvancha dharm, bhedabhed bhram amangal', which talks about denouncing discrimination in the world," he said.

Speaking to PTI, Girish Murudkar, a representative of Murudkar Zendewale firm, said as per request by the trustees, they have changed the lines of the abhang.