Cannons to boom at Ranchhodji Temple

Vadodara district court has ruled in favour of the priest of Ranchhodji Mandir on MG Road, granting permission to fire the temple's over 150-yearold cannon.

The cannon-firing tradition, part of the Dev Uthani Ekadashi procession, had been halted since 1996 due to "public safety concerns.," with the court's approval, the cannon will be fired again next year on Kartak Sud Agiyaras, ending a 29-year hiatus.

The cannon was seized by the District Collector in 1996 following a negative police report after two injuries occurred during the 1995 Dev Uthani Ekadashi procession. The temple's chief priest, Janardhan Dave, filed a legal petition against this in 1996, leading to a decades-long legal battle.