News Analysis India

Tag: Char Dham shrines

  • Uttarakhand government puts daily limit on number of pilgrims visiting Char Dham shrines

    By PTI

    DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand government has capped the daily limit on the number of pilgrims visiting the famous Himalayan shrines in the state, especially Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath during the Char Dham Yatra.

    The yatra begins on May 3 and the limit will be in force for the first 45 days, a government order dated April 30 said.

    The daily limit imposed on the number of pilgrims is 15,000 for Badrinath, 12,000 for Kedarnath, 7,000 for Gangotri and 4,000 for Yamunotri.

    The restriction has been put in place considering that a record number of pilgrims are likely to turn up this year with the Covid-induced restrictions no longer in force.

    The order says the decision has been taken in view of the state’s geographical conditions, the capacity of its hotels and parking facilities on the Char Dham Yatra route.

    The yatra – arguably the backbone of Uttarakhand’s economy – was badly hit due to COVID-19, which delayed the opening of the Himalayan temples for devotees for months in the last couple of years.

    The movement of vehicles on the Char Dham Yatra route will also remain suspended from 10 pm to 4 am, it said.

    The yatra will begin on May 3 with the opening of the portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri temples in Uttarkashi district.

    Kedarnath will open on May 6 and Badrinath on May 8.

    However, transporters and hoteliers are apprehensive that the sudden imposition of the limits may lead to cancellation of bookings made in advance.

    “Due to the sudden imposition of limits, those who have booked vehicles, hotels and dharamshalas in advance may have to face last-minute hurdles,” Char Dham Yatra joint bus rotation system president Sudhir Roy said.

  • Priests confident that Uttarakhand government would repeal Char Dham law

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: The priests of Char Dham shrines in Uttarakhand are keeping their hopes high that the Uttarakhand government will repeal the Char Dham Devsthanam Board Act. The hilly state is heading for polls early next year and the ruling BJP may not want the priests to be unhappy over the law enacted by it.

    Recently, the priests announced that they would field their own candidates in at least 15 constituencies in the upcoming Assembly elections due in early 2022. 

    Harak Singh Rawat, state cabinet minister hinting at leniency on the government’s part, said: “We are in talks with all stakeholders and if it seems the law must be repealed, it will be. Our honourable PM has showed that ours is the government which cares for the people of this country.”

    Sources within the state government told this newspaper that the proposal (to repeal the law) can be brought in the state cabinet or winter session of the state Assembly which will take place in Gairsain. 

  • Temples shadow other issues in Uttarakhand politics ahead of assembly polls

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand politics, which earlier revolved around migration, corruption, drug menace, lack of infrastructure and development, has gradually shifted focus to temples, especially Char Dham shrines, ahead of Assembly polls. 

    Political analysts say this change is in sync with political changes in the country. The incumbent BJP, which owes its rise as a national party to ‘temple politics of Ayodhya’, has always focused on ‘Hindutva’, ‘nationalism’ and related issues. However, this time every party in the Himalayan state, including the main opposition Congress, has joined the bandwagon. 

    Political commentator Dinesh Mansera says: “What this election season witnessing is the effect of changes happening in the country, especially in the Hindi belt. All political parties have understood the trend and are acting accordingly. And this is going to continue for a while.” The Congress has already announced that if the party forms the next government, the Char Dham Devsthanam Board will be abolished and the status quo of pre-December 2019 will be resumed. 

    The grand old party has been giving out signals that it doesn’t want to be seen behind the BJP when it comes to courting religious politics. Former chief minister Harish Rawat, while visiting Kedarnath shrine last month, was seen with a trident to show his devotion to Lord Shiva. The party also organised ‘Jalabhishek’ rituals in parallel with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the shrine. All these indicate a paradigm shift in the state’s politics, feel analysts. 

    Even the Aam Aadmi Party which is trying to make its way in the hill state has been focusing largely on the same issue.  Delhi CM and party supremo Arvind Kejriwal, in one of his visits to the state, announced that if his party comes to power in Uttarakhand, the state will be made ‘Spiritual Capital’ of the world for Hindus.  “Earlier it was only the BJP which focused largely on Hindutva, nationalism and related issues but now other parties have understood that they can’t survive on old narratives including one that of Nehruvian secularism,” says Yogesh Kumar, another analyst. 

    With Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the Kedarnath shrine where he unveiled the statue of Adi Guru Shankaracharya, the BJP is already ahead of other parties. Reconstruction work worth`400 crore is already going on in Kedarnath and a  masterplan for Badrinath worth Rs 250 crore has already been approved.