Actor Bhagyashree Dassani’s visit to the historic Ganapati Panchayatan temple in Sangli during Ganesh Chaturthi has sparked a succession dispute within the erstwhile royal Patwardhan family. The actor, who is the eldest of Vijaysinhraje Patwardhan’s three daughters, performed aarti at the temple, following which her father publicly reiterated that his adopted son, Adityaraje, is the sole heir to the Sangli throne.The controversy erupted on Monday when Bhagyashree visited the temple during the Ganesh festival. Explaining her decision to participate in the family’s Ganeshotsav traditions, the actor said she felt one of the daughters should step forward as her father had not been keeping well.Vijaysinhraje, however, dismissed that explanation and said he was “fit and fine”. Speaking to the media, he questioned why Bhagyashree had performed the ritual in his absence and used the occasion to make his position on the succession clear.“The honour of performing the formal worship of the ceremonial idol belongs solely to me and Ranisaheb (his wife, Rajlakshmiraje Patwardhan). Therefore, I do not know why Bhagyashree Himalaya Dassani went in my absence to perform the aarti, what the politics behind it is, or who is backing her.Neither she nor anyone else should have the attitude that — ‘I am a daughter, so I can do anything’. Tradition cannot be broken, and people in Sangli will not tolerate this either. Adityaraje must be recognised as my heir,” Patwardhan said.His remarks turned what was initially a festival-related appearance into a public discussion over succession, family traditions and the role of daughters in the erstwhile royal household.Bhagyashree, who returned to Sangli after nearly four years, had told those present at the temple that she wanted to ensure the family’s Ganesh festival traditions continued. Her father, however, stressed that there should be no uncertainty about who would carry forward the family legacy.“Adityaraje alone must be accepted as my only heir. No one should unnecessarily attempt to undermine Adityaraje or hatch conspiracies against him. Adityaraje’s conduct reflects how elders should be respected. He will carry forward this legacy of mine in the future,” he said.Adityaraje is the son of Jaidip Abhyankar, the manager of the temple trust and Bhagyashree’s maternal cousin. He was adopted by the erstwhile royal family in January 2024, after which he was formally designated as the successor to the Sangli lineage and its traditions.Rajlakshmiraje Patwardhan also backed the decision to adopt Adityaraje, saying the move was made because the family did not have a son.“Since we did not have a son in our family, we adopted Adityaraje. We nurture him like our own son and instil values in him in the same way… He will capably carry forward this legacy, and we have accepted Adityaraje as the official heir to the sansthan, making him its sole heir,” she said.The disagreement reportedly extended to the temple premises, where Bhagyashree and trust manager Jaidip Abhyankar were involved in an argument over her participation in the aarti. A video purportedly showing the exchange subsequently circulated on social media, drawing attention to questions around inheritance, gender roles and succession traditions associated with former royal families.The Patwardhans trace their ancestry to generals who served the Maratha Peshwas and were the rulers of the erstwhile Sangli princely state before its integration into the Indian Union after Independence. Historically, adoption of a male heir was followed by several royal families in cases where there was no direct male successor.
