‘Tampering with tradition’: Kedarnath priests at loggerheads over gold plating of temple walls

A section of priests at the Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand has reportedly opposed the gold plating of the walls inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, saying it amounted to tampering with centuries-old traditions.

According to a report by news agency PTI, the objection has been raised by pilgrimage priests or teerth purohits who have said the use of big drilling machines in the process was damaging the temple's walls.

The walls of the ancient Himalayan temple, which were earlier covered with silver plates, are being renovated with gold plates. The silver ones have been removed, the report added.

"The gold plating is damaging the temple walls. Big drilling machines are being used for the purpose. We cannot tolerate this tampering with the centuries-old traditions of the temple," Santosh Trivedi, a pilgrimage priest, was quoted as saying in the report.

The gold for the temple has reportedly been offered by a Shiva devotee from Maharashtra and the renovation is taking place with approval from the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee and permission from the state government.

However, not everyone is said to be on the same page over the issue. Senior priests have said the temple is a major centre of Sanatan faith and the gold plating is in accordance with the Hindu beliefs and traditions.

Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee president Ajendra Ajay said the gold plating is being done in accordance with the traditions without tampering with the original structure.

"Renovation and beautification of the temple from time to time is a normal practice. A handful of priests may oppose it but their representative bodies never opposed it. Decades ago, the temple ceiling used to be made of grass and twigs. As time passed, it was made of stones and later of copper sheets," he said.

Terming it a “opposition propaganda", the BKTC president said, "Hindu temples all over the country are symbols of grandeur. Decorating Hindu deities with gold and jewellery has been part of our traditions. I see nothing wrong in covering the temple walls with gold plates."

(With inputs from agencies)