Shankaracharya temple to come up near Vaishno Devi shrine in J-K; LG to lay foundation stone

Jammu, Feb 17 (PTI) The Shri Shankaracharya temple complex dedicated to Adi Shankaracharya will come up in the Trikuta hills of Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the complex on Wednesday.

The Trikuta hills are also home to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.

The foundation stone-laying ceremony comes nearly six decades after the temple project was first conceived in 1967, officials said.

"This state-of-the-art temple is another ambitious project conceived under the leadership of the lieutenant governor, after a museum of goddesses comprising replicas and representations of major 'devi' pilgrimage sites from across India, which is also proposed to come up at Katra, the base camp of Mata Vaishno Devi in Reasi district," officials said.

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) has proposed the construction of the Shri Shankaracharya temple along with an access road, associated public utilities and 50 commercial shops for the landowners, at an estimated cost of Rs 31.51 crore.

Sinha, who revived the project, will lay the foundation stone at Katra on Wednesday, they added.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the SMVDSB and the concerned landowners was executed in 2025, according to officials.

The temple will come up on 41 kanals of land donated by the landowners for the construction of a motorable access track and creation of essential pilgrim amenities, including toilets and water points, at the proposed site, they added.

The project is expected to significantly enhance the spiritual experience of devotees while also boosting regional economic activity through improved infrastructure and employment opportunities, officials said.

They further said the project will ensure that the spiritual centre remains vibrant, with a strong focus on pilgrim welfare and inclusive development of local communities.

Officials described the foundation-laying ceremony as a historic moment for the Union territory and the nation, marking the culmination of decades of anticipation and planning. PTI AB PRK