Following the viral video of a YouTuber proposing to her boyfriend within Kedarnath temple premises, Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) has announced that the usage of mobile phones has been banned inside the temple premises. After the ban, devotees can no longer do photography and videography on the temple premises. Notably, the BKTC manages the revered Hindu shrine Kedarnath in Uttarakhand.
The temple committee has installed boards, in both Hindi and English language, at various places on the temple premises announcing this ban.
The notice reads, ‘Do not enter the temple premises with mobile phones; any kind of photography and videography is strictly prohibited inside the temple and you are under the surveillance of CCTV cameras’.
The President of BKTC, Ajay Ajendra informed the news agency ANI that pilgrims have been asked to wear “decent clothes” and desist from setting up tents or camps in the temple premises. He stressed that a religious space follows a set of belief systems and the devotees should respect the same.
He stated that in the past, some pilgrims were making videos and reels inside the temple in an indecent manner as well as clicking pictures. But now, the ban will be implemented strictly, which is why warning boards have also been installed at Kedarnath.
He added that the pilgrims to Kedarnath have been urged to dress modestly. Additionally, the authorities have issued a stern warning to the devotees, stressing that legal action will be taken against any pilgrims who fail to comply with the order.
However, BKTC President stated that no complaints have been received from the Badrinath Dham yet, so a ban has not been imposed there. He added that if authorities receive any complaints, warning boards will also be installed there.
A fortnight earlier, on the 3rd of July, the temple committee had already issued a notification hinting that mobile phones will soon be banned in the Kedarnath temple premises.
This prohibitory order comes days after a video went viral over the Instagram App in which a woman was seen proposing to her boyfriend right in front of the Kedarnath Temple. In the viral video, the woman sat down on her knees and proposed to her boyfriend on the temple premises.
The woman in the viral video was identified as Vishakha Fulsunge. She is an influencer with more than 8 lakh followers on Instagram.
It is important to note that electronic gadgets are already banned inside many Hindu temples. In the recent past, there has been steady demand to ban mobile phones and urge devotees to respect the sanctity of temples including adhering to appropriate dress codes.
