Entry of non-Hindus into 47 temples, including the prominent shrines of Badrinath and Kedarnath in Uttarakhand, will be banned from this year, a temple committee official was quoted as saying by news agency PTI on March 11.
The decision was taken during a board meeting of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee held under the chairmanship of its president Hemant Dwivedi on Tuesday. The motion received unanimous approval.
Dwivedi said the new rule will be implemented starting the pilgrimage season next month. According to this order, non-Hindus will not be allowed to enter the temple complexes or the sanctum sanctorum.
He further noted that the tradition of restricting entry for non-Hindus has existed since the days of Adi Shankaracharya and added that the Constitution provides for the administration of religious places.
“Badrinath and Kedarnath are not tourist places but centers of faith. They are Vedic centers established by Adi Shankaracharya. Article 26 of the Indian Constitution gives every religious denomination the right to manage its own religious affairs,” Dwivedi said.
Badrinath and Kedarnath are not tourist spots but centers of faith. These are the Vedic centers established by Adi Shankaracharya.
The doors of Badrinath Dham are scheduled to open on April 23, while the doors of Kedarnath Dham will open on April 22.
The Char Dham Yatra will begin on April 19 on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya when the gates of the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines will be opened.
Registrations for Char Dhams open
The Uttarakhand state government last week launched an online registration portal for the Char Dham Yatra, which allows devotees to register for the annual Himalayan pilgrimage.
Compulsory digital registration has been introduced on several platforms to help handle the large influx of pilgrims who visit temples every year.
Registration started at 7 am and is mandatory for all pilgrims planning to visit the shrines. The pilgrimage will begin on April 19 with the opening of the portals of the Yamunotri and Gangotri temples.
The Kedarnath temple will open three days later on April 22, while the Badrinath temple will welcome devotees from April 23.
