Use of mobile phones banned in Kedarnath Temple after video of blogger proposing to her boyfriend went viral

Signboards have been installed in multiple locations within the temple premises, stating, “Do not enter the temple premises with mobile phones; any kind of photography and videography is strictly prohibited inside the temple, and you are under the surveillance of CCTV cameras.”

President of the Shri Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee, Ajay Ajendra, explained that pilgrims visiting Kedarnath Dham have also been urged to dress modestly. These guidelines have been issued in response to previous incidents of inappropriate behavior. Ajay Ajendra emphasized the need to maintain the sanctity of the temple and prevent any misconceptions that may arise due to the alleged indecent conduct of a few pilgrims.

The move comes after a recent video of a woman blogger proposing to her boyfriend in front of the temple went viral.

“Pilgrims to Kedarnath have been urged to dress modestly. In the past, some pilgrims had been caught filming and taking photos indecently inside the temple,” Ajay Ajendra told ANI.

The temple committee imposed this ban after a wrong message was sent due to the purported indecent behaviour of certain pilgrims. Warning boards have also been installed at Kedarnath to implement the guidelines strictly, said the Temple Committee President.The Shri Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee had earlier wrote to the Kedarnath Dham Police, requesting a ban on filming videos around the temple area after the viral video. The committee urged the police to closely monitor the temple surroundings and take action against individuals creating YouTube shorts/videos/Instagram reels to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.The temple committee believes that creating such videos or reels within the temple premises has a detrimental impact on the religious sanctity of the site. They have called upon the police to take strict action against those responsible for producing such content, in order to uphold the sacredness of the temple and its surroundings.