Kedarnath temple panel bans entry of devotees into sanctum sanctorum

Dehradun: The Badrinath-Kedarnath temple committee on Monday banned the entry of devotees into the sanctum sanctorum of Kedarnath for the time being in view of a huge rush of pilgrims.

After nearly a two-month dip in footfall during the monsoon season, there has been a sharp rise in the number of devotees thronging the temple of late.

"We have put a ban on the entry of devotees into the sanctum sanctorum of the temple for the time being as there is limited space inside it and the rush is too much. As long as the ban is in force, devotees cannot go beyond the sabha mandap for darshan," BKTC president Ajendra Ajay told PTI.

A similar ban was imposed at the Himalayan temple before the onset of the monsoon as well as the daily turnout had climbed, he said.

"The restriction can be removed only when the crowd gets smaller," Ajay said.