Mobile phones, cameras banned in Uttarakhand’s Char Dham temple complexes

Dehradun, Jan 17 (PTI) Mobile phones and cameras will be completely banned in the temple complexes of Uttarakhand’s Char Dham pilgrimage from this year.

After holding a review meeting with district magistrates, senior superintendents of police, and departmental officials of the districts concerned, Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey told reporters that allowing mobile phones and cameras into the temple complexes had caused several problems in the darshan. Keeping this in mind, it has been decided to completely ban mobile phones and cameras in the temple complexes.

Pandey said that the state’s Char Dham Yatra is a sacred pilgrimage where people come with devotion. "Devotees should submit their mobile phones and cameras before entering the temple for darshan, and after leaving the temple, they can take their photos and videos with the temple in the background," he said.

He said that the Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee has been instructed to ensure separate arrangements in the temple complexes for the safekeeping of devotees' mobile phones and cameras.

The commissioner said that more than 50 lakh devotees visited the four Dhams of the state – Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath – during the last pilgrimage season. He said that efforts will be made to make the pilgrimage even smoother and easier this year. PTI DPT MNK MNK