Only Hindus will now be allowed to enter the centuries-old Badrinath and Kedarnath temples nestled in the lap of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand. Non-Hindus will be barred from entering the two temples that are part of the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit, the temple body managing these shrines has announced.
The rule barring non-Hindus applies to all temples controlled by the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), including the Badrinath-Kedarnath Dham. Confirming the development, BKTC president Hemant Dwivedi stated that the entry for non-Hindus will be prohibited in all temples under the temple committee.
A proposal to this effect will be passed in the upcoming temple committee board meeting.
The Badrinath temple will reopen its gates on April 23 after a six-month winter closure. The date for opening the Kedarnath temple gates will be announced on Maha Shivratri.
Besides Kedarnath and Badrinath, the other two shrines part of the Char Dham include Gangotri and Yamunotri. Their gates will be reopened on April 19 on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya.
