Kedarnath Temple In Delhi: Shankaracharya Furious, Declares 'This Can't Happen' – What's The Controversy?

The controversy over the foundation stone laying for another Kedarnath temple in New Delhi has been highlighted.

Strong objection has been raised by Swami Avimukteshwaranand, Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath, against the building of a Kedarnath temple in the national capital, stating that a symbolic Kedarnath cannot be established.

Shankaracharya Furious Over Kedarnath Temple in Delhi

Rhetorical questioning has been used by him to emphasize how Kedarnath, whose address is in the Himalayas, can exist in Delhi, citing that the Shiv Puran mentions 12 Jyotirlingas with specific names and locations, as reported by Hindustan Times. Political motives have been alluded to, mentioning that religious sites are being entered by political figures.

The Shankaracharya has also brought up allegations of a scam involving gold laying work inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Kedarnath temple, expressing concern that after such a scam in Kedarnath, another could occur in Delhi.

Last year, a scam amounting to ₹125 crore in the gold layering work was alleged by a senior priest of the Kedarnath temple, claiming that brass had been used instead of gold, a charge denied by the temple committee. It has been pointed out by the Shankaracharya that 228 kgs of gold are reportedly missing from Kedarnath, with no inquiry initiated yet.

The foundation stone for the new Kedarnath temple in Delhi was laid by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami in the Hiranki neighbourhood near Burari in northwest Delhi during a bhoomi puja (consecration ceremony) on Wednesday.

On Sunday, a protest was staged by priests at the Kedarnath temple in Rudraprayag district, led by the Kedar Sabha, against the Uttarakhand state government and the chief minister. The construction of a Kedarnath temple by a religious trust in Delhi was objected to, with fears expressed that it would diminish the sanctity of the original shrine.

Further dissent was voiced by Pradeep Shukla, another member of the Kedar Sabha, alleging that building a Kedarnath temple with the same name and form in Delhi was a conspiracy to exploit devotees and diminish the sanctity of the shrine in Uttarakhand. Concerns were also raised by the Kedar Sabha about the distribution of charan amrit (sanctified water) from Kedarnath Dham in Delhi, which they argued violated religious guidelines.

President of Shri Kedarnath Dham Trust Clarifies Temple Project in Delhi

In Delhi, Surinder Rautela, President of the Shri Kedarnath Dham Trust in Burari, clarified that the upcoming temple in Delhi, to be built by the Shri Kedarnath Dham Trust, is not a Dham but a temple project independent of the Uttarakhand government. He emphasized that the Uttarakhand CM's participation in the Bhumipoojan was at their personal request and not government-related.

Rautela underscored that the trust operates autonomously with the cooperation of its members, pointing out the precedent of similar temples across India. He criticized certain leaders for politicizing the issue for their own gain.

Kedarnath, one of the four Hindu sacred shrines of the Char Dham, along with Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri, attracts millions of Hindu pilgrims between May and October each year.