Why priests are opposed to Kedarnath temple replica in Delhi

NEW DELHI/DEHRADUN: The decision to construct a replica of the revered Kedarnath Mandir of Uttarakhand in the city has created an unholy controversy. Last Wednesday, Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami laid the foundation stone for the temple to be built by the Shri Kedarnath Dham Delhi Trust, leaving the priests of the mountainous shrine fuming at the prospect.
The temple is set to be built on a 3-acre plot on Delhi’s outskirts at Burari.Jitender Sulara, administrative head of the Shri Kedarnath Dham Delhi Trust, said on Tuesday the construction of the shrine is expected to be finished by the end of 2026. The trust, overseen by its founder-president, Surinder Rautela, is the owner of the plot and will also bear the construction cost of around Rs 12 crore, Sulara added.
The bhumi puja on July 10 was attended by CM Dhami and Rautela, among others. Sulara was quick to add that the Uttarakhand CM wasn’t affiliated to the Delhi trust but was present at the ceremony as an honoured guest.
While the temple is modelled after the original Kedarnath, Sulara emphasised that it would be impossible to make the Delhi edifice identical to it. “We do not have access to the same stones used in the original temple. We do not have the Jyotirlinga either,” he said. “Our wish is only to build a temple for Shiva devotees.”
However, Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), the apex body that oversees the twin shrines among other important temples in Uttarakhand, has warned of legal action against the Shri Kedarnath Dham Delhi Trust if it went ahead with plans to construct any structure resembling the Kedarnath Mandir in Burari. Kedarnath is among the four sacred Hindu shrines comprising the Char Dham, the others being Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.
BKTC chairperson Ajendra Ajay said on Tuesday that any individual or organisation using the names of Kedarnath or Badrinath shrines for commercial purposes would face legal action. While he conceded that Uttarakhand govt was “not involved” with the Delhi temple and that Dhami had attended the foundation-laying ceremony at the organisers' invitation, the opposition Congress in the state accused the CM and the ruling BJP of undermining the sanctity of the ancient shrine.
Ajay said, “We have received complaints about individuals and organisations forming trusts in the name of Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines and collecting money to construct temples, hospitals, ashrams, etc. Some are even using apps to collect money on the pretext of organising online prayers at the two shrines. We will take all legal action possible.”
Swami Avimukteshwaranand, shankaracharya of Jyotirmath, also voiced strong opposition to the proposed temple in the capital. He said, “There cannot be a symbolic Kedarnath. The Shiv Puran mentions 12 Jyotirlingas with specific names and locations. Kedarnath's address is in the Himalayas — how can it be in Delhi?” He alleged that the temple in Delhi was being built for political reasons. “Politicians are encroaching on our religious space," the Shankaracharya maintained.
To these, Sulara retorted, “There are several Vaishno Devi temples across India. There is a Badrinath temple in Mumbai. There is even a Kedarnath temple in Indore. Why cannot we build one here?” He continued, “It is not against Sanatan Dharma to build a temple. But it cannot be compared with the original in Kedarnath because we don’t have a Jyotirlinga. This is just another Shiva temple.”
Rautela too argued, “This is nothing new and we fail to understand the controversy.” However, he is also believed to be contemplating the removal of the word 'Dham' from the trust name to avoid confusion and any misconception.