Non-Hindus may no longer be allowed in Badrinath and Kedarnath — temple committee confirms

According to BKTC president Hemant Dwivedi, only Hindus will be allowed entry into temples under the committee’s control, which form part of the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit.

The proposal is awaiting approval in the committee’s next meeting.

The Badrinath Temple is scheduled to reopen on April 23 after its winter closure, while the reopening date for Kedarnath Temple will be announced soon.

‘Non-Hindus prohibited’ banners at Har Ki Pauri

Amid demands for a ban on the entry of non-Hindus at Har Ki Pauri in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar, banners restricting such entry were put up at several religious sites and Ganga ghats within the Haridwar Kumbh area earlier this month.

The banners reading “Non-Hindu Prohibited Area” were erected by the Ganga Sabha, the body responsible for the maintenance of Har Ki Pauri and adjoining ghats.

The main bathing area of Har Ki Pauri and its surrounding stretches are already restricted for non-Hindus under provisions of the Haridwar Municipal Act, 1916.

Ganga Sabha president Nitin Gautam cited an agreement dating back to the British era, stating that areas falling within the notified Kumbh limits — scheduled next in early 2027 — should remain restricted for non-Hindus, The Indian Express reported.

Gautam has demanded that the existing restrictions at Har Ki Pauri be extended to all remaining ghats in Haridwar.