Non-Hindus may be barred at Char Dham?

Non-Hindus will soon not be allowed to enter the Badrinath and Kedarnath temples in Uttarakhand, which form part of the revered Char Dham pilgrimage circuit, following an announcement by the body that manages these shrines.

According to the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), entry to the centuries-old temples will be restricted exclusively to Hindus. The proposed restriction will apply to all temples administered by the committee, including the Badrinath and Kedarnath dhams.

Confirming the development, BKTC president Hemant Dwivedi said that non-Hindus would be prohibited from entering all temples under the committee’s jurisdiction.

He added that a formal proposal to implement the decision would be placed before the temple committee board during its upcoming meeting.

The Badrinath temple is scheduled to reopen on April 23 after remaining closed for six months during the winter season. The date for the reopening of the Kedarnath temple will be announced on the occasion of Maha Shivratri.

The Chota Char Dham circuit, apart from Kedarnath and Badrinath temples, also includes Gangotri and Yamunotri. The gates of these two shrines are set to reopen on April 19, coinciding with the festival of Akshaya Tritiya.

The announcement comes amid a broader debate in Uttarakhand over restricting the entry of non-Hindus at prominent religious sites.

Earlier this month, posters declaring Haridwar’s Har ki Pauri as “off-limits for non-Hindus” appeared at the globally renowned pilgrimage site, triggering widespread controversy.

The posters, which described the Har ki Pauri area as a purely ‘Hindu zone’, intensified the debate over religious access to public places.

The posters, put up by Shri Ganga Sabha, read, “Non-Hindus Prohibited Entry Zone”. However, the outfit claimed that the purpose behind this move is to simply inform people and doesn’t have any ill intentions.

Shri Ganga Sabha President Nitin Gautam, speaking to media about the development, said, “Basic knowledge of the law is essential for every citizen. Following a few incidents that have come to light recently, the Ganga Sabha felt that it was extremely important to make people aware of the rules and regulations. With this objective, awareness boards have been put up at major public places in Haridwar so that the general public, devotees, and tourists can be informed about the law and also be able to obtain information from relevant authorities.”

Nitin Gautam further stated that two to three incidents occurred in the recent past, which showed that the lack of correct information was the real reason behind the dispute and discord.

He had mentioned that the purpose of these banners was to make people aware of their rights and duties, so that law and order are strengthened, and peace and harmony prevail in society.

Notably, the demand to ban the entry of non-Hindus in Haridwar has been raised for a long time, particularly in light of the upcoming Ardh Kumbh festival next year.