The Uttarakhand government announced on Thursday that it will prohibit VIP darshan at the Char Dham temples and ban videography and the making of social media reels within a 50-meter radius of the shrines. This decision comes amid a surge in the number of pilgrims, according to officials.
Chief Secretary Radha Raturi, in a letter to her counterparts in all states and Union territories, stated, “There is a continuous surge in the number of pilgrims visiting the Holy Char Dham in Uttarakhand this year. For better management, we have decided to suspend ‘VIP Darshan’ until May 31, 2024.”
She further explained that the Char Dham Yatra is proceeding smoothly and that arrangements have been made to ensure systematic darshan for the pilgrims. However, she noted that videography and the making of social media reels within the temple premises are causing crowds to gather, inconveniencing devotees. Therefore, to ensure the convenience of the devotees, the making of videography and social media reels within a 50-meter radius of the temple premises is completely banned.
Earlier, Raturi had mentioned that the use of mobile phones within 200 meters of Char Dham shrines would be banned. She also stated that the administration would take legal action against those caught making reels and spreading misinformation about the Char Dham Yatra. “Making reels with misleading information is a crime. If you are going for a yatra with faith, making reels near temples is wrong,” she said.
The Char Dham Yatra began on May 10, and within the first six days, 334,732 people from India and abroad had visited the shrines to offer prayers. Registration for the yatra started on April 25, and by Thursday evening, more than 270,000 devotees had registered.
In another letter to the chief secretaries of other states on April 30, Raturi advised that elderly devotees with medical histories should get tested before embarking on the yatra and follow the guidelines issued by the Uttarakhand health department.