A Final Farewell at Mahavir Temple: Acharya Kishore Kunal’s Silent Sadhana Ends

Patna: The Mahavir Temple in Patna, where Acharya Kishore Kunal once prayed daily with unwavering devotion, became the site of his final journey on Monday. At 10 am, the mortal remains of the revered former IPS officer and temple visionary were brought to the temple he had nurtured and cherished for over four decades.

The same temple where Kunal, even in the throes of illness, attended aarti with steadfast dedication, bore witness to his silent farewell. His body was placed on a bed of flowers near the Hanuman flag, and Vedic rituals were performed by the temple priests. At precisely 11 am, aarti was offered to the idols of Hanuman and the Ram Darbar in the main sanctum, as had been Kunal’s practice during his lifetime.

In a poignant moment, the aarti was then brought to him, symbolizing a union of devotion and divinity. His son, Sayan Kunal, overcome with grief, touched his father’s forehead with tears in his eyes. Acharya Kunal’s wife, Anita Kunal, daughter-in-law Shambhavi, and Samadhi Ashok Chaudhary stood by in quiet mourning.

After the aarti, Kunal’s mortal remains were carried to the temple courtyard, just outside the sanctum, for one final parikrama. It was a symbolic convergence of the devotee and the divine, a moment that felt like a merging of the soul with the Supreme.

From the temple courtyard, his body began its final journey to Kaunhara Ghat in Hajipur. Thousands of devotees gathered at Mahavir Temple to pay their last respects, offering prayers and tributes to the man who had dedicated his life to faith and service.

Among those present were former Union Minister Ramkripal Yadav, Bihar government ministers Nitin Naveen and Sumit Kumar Singh, and a host of other dignitaries. They joined the sea of mourners, honoring the life and legacy of Acharya Kishore Kunal, whose devotion to both his faith and public service will be remembered for generations to come.