No phones, no cameras during darshan at Char Dham temples
Mobile phones and cameras will be completely banned inside the temple complexes of Uttarakhand’s Char Dham pilgrimage from this year, the state administration announced on Saturday, citing disruptions during darshan caused by photography and videography.
Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey said the decision was taken after a review meeting with district magistrates, senior superintendents of police and officials from the concerned departments.
“Allowing mobile phones and cameras inside the temple complexes has been creating several problems during darshan. Keeping this in mind, it has been decided to impose a complete ban,” Pandey told reporters.
He said the Char Dham Yatra is a sacred pilgrimage undertaken with devotion and discipline, and devotees must respect the sanctity of the temples. Pilgrims will be required to deposit their mobile phones and cameras before entering the temple premises for darshan.
“After completing darshan and exiting the temple, devotees may take photographs and videos with the temple in the background,” the commissioner said.
Pandey added that the Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee has been instructed to make proper arrangements within temple complexes for the safe custody of mobile phones and cameras.
Highlighting the scale of the pilgrimage, the commissioner said more than 50 lakh devotees visited the four Dhams — Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath — during the last pilgrimage season. He said the administration is working to make the yatra smoother, safer and more convenient for pilgrims this year.
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