Bhagyashree’s family feud out

Actor and her father Raje Vikramsinh Patwardhan face off during Ganesh Chaturthi aarti at their royal temple

Kolhapur: A long-simmering dispute within the Sangli royal family spilled into the public domain during the traditional Ganesh aarti at the Patwardhan royal temple on Tuesday.

The confrontation between Raje Vikramsinh Patwardhan and his daughter, actor Bhagyashree, brought into the open differences that had been brewing within the royal institution for several days. What had so far remained largely an internal family matter became public following a verbal exchange during the aarti celebrations.

The Patwardhan rulers began the worship of Lord Ganesh at the grand temple established within the Sangli royal complex nearly 200 years ago. The annual Ganesh festival has since remained one of the most important traditions of the erstwhile Sangli State, drawing members of the royal family as well as devotees.

On Tuesday morning, Bhagyashree arrived at the royal complex to participate in the traditional Ganesh aarti. Her presence, however, led to a confrontation with the management of the institution, with manager Jaydeep Abhyankar reportedly objecting to her participation.

The disagreement escalated after the aarti, leading to a heated exchange in the presence of people who had gathered for the religious ceremony.

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The dispute is significant because the Ganesh festival is not merely a religious observance for the Patwardhan family. It is closely associated with the history and public identity of the Sangli royal institution.

Bhagyashree’s return to the royal temple for the Ganesh aarti therefore assumed significance against the backdrop of the differences between her and her father.

Those present at the temple witnessed the unusual spectacle of a family dispute emerging in the middle of a centuries-old religious tradition.

Bhagyashree maintained that she had come to participate in the Ganesh aarti in keeping with the family tradition and had no intention of creating a controversy.

Her participation, however, triggered objections from the institution’s management, eventually resulting in the public confrontation.

The incident has now turned the spotlight on the internal differences within the Patwardhan family and their impact on the management of the historic Sangli royal institution.

For Sangli, the episode carries significance beyond a family disagreement. The Patwardhan rulers’ Ganesh worship has been an integral part of the city’s cultural heritage for about 200 years.

The fact that the dispute surfaced on Ganesh Chaturthi, during the very aarti that symbolises continuity of that tradition, has added another layer to the controversy.

What was until now a dispute within the royal household has, with Tuesday’s confrontation, become a matter of public discussion in Sangli.