Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee to Bar Entry of ‘Non-Sanatanis’ to Temple Premises

The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) has decided to restrict the entry of people who do not follow Sanatan Dharma to 47 temples under its administration in Uttarakhand, including the shrines at Badrinath Temple and Kedarnath Temple, the Times of India reported.

BKTC chairman Hemant Diwedi approved the proposal during the committee’s budget meeting held at its office in Dehradun. The restriction will apply to the inner sanctum and the immediate premises of the temples. 

Dwivedi said the measure was intended to ensure that those visiting the Char Dham shrines have faith in Sanatan Dharma. It is not yet clear how the temple authorities will determine whether a visitor follows the Sanatan Dharma or not.

According to the report, Dwivedi had in January indicated that the committee could explore the possibility of limiting the entry of non-Hindus at the Char Dham temples.

At the same meeting, the committee cleared an estimated budget of Rs 121 crore for preparations related to the upcoming Char Dham Yatra. Of this amount, Rs 57.5 crore has been allocated for Badrinath Dham and Rs 63.6 crore for Kedarnath Dham, the report said.

The board also approved the establishment of a Teerth Purohit Welfare Fund to improve the social and economic security of priests associated with the pilgrimage. According to the report, the fund will provide financial assistance and other support measures for teerth purohits.

The portals of Kedarnath Temple are scheduled to open on April 22, followed by Badrinath Temple on April 23 for the 2026 pilgrimage season. The shrines at Gangotri Temple and Yamunotri Temple will open on April 19 on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, the report said.

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