Youths Making Reels In Kedarnath Spark Outrage Over Temple's Sanctity
In videos, several youths can be seen climbing onto their companions' shoulders to create reels in temple complex
Published : May 25, 2026 at 6:10 PM IST
Rudraprayag: The Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand—a sacred site where, every year, millions of devotees traverse arduous mountain trails to seek the blessings of their revered deity, Baba Kedar, is now becoming a focal point of discussion due to the craze for social media reels and the race for viral content.
According to sources, some viral photographs and videos emerging from the shrine have not only hurt the religious sentiments of many but have also raised serious questions regarding the management and discipline within the temple complex.
In videos currently going viral, several youths can be seen climbing onto their companions' shoulders to create reels in the vicinity of the temple complex.
While some are filming videos in a cinematic style, others appear to be participating in the race for 'likes' and 'followers' by using Baba Kedar's shrine merely as a backdrop for their social media content.
Such activities at Kedarnath Dham—a site regarded as a symbol of religious faith and Sanatan traditions—have sparked widespread outrage among devotees.
People assert that Baba Kedar's shrine is neither a recreational spot, a filming location, nor a social media studio.
Rather, it stands as the paramount centre of faith for millions of Hindus.
Such behaviour here runs counter to the dignity of the shrine and established religious norms, they said.
Devotees point out that while there is constant talk of police presence, security forces, and CCTV surveillance within the temple premises, the videos currently going viral serve as ample proof of just how effective the rules and regulations truly are on the ground.
The matter has also sparked significant outrage among local pilgrimage priests ('Teerth Purohits') and religious organizations.
Priests Santosh Trivedi, Himanshu Tiwari and Gaurav Tiwari stated that the sacred Baba Kedarnath Dham has been reduced to a mockery.
They emphasised that in a shrine where people arrive with deep faith and devotion, the act of climbing onto someone's shoulders to film social media reels is unfortunate and reprehensible.
They demanded that both the Badri Kedar Temple Committee (BKTC) and the administration take strict action in such cases to ensure that, in the future, no one dares to trifle with religious sanctity and decorum.
Meanwhile, responding to the issue, BKTC member Vineet Posti noted that a large number of devotees are currently arriving at the shrine to seek the blessings of Baba Kedarnath, and the committee remains continuously engaged in facilitating a smooth and organized 'darshan' experience for them.
He acknowledged that amid the crowd, a few people are indeed climbing on to shoulders to film reels—behaviour he deemed inappropriate.
He assured that necessary action would be initiated in such cases.
It is pertinent to note that Kedarnath pilgrimage is already facing numerous questions regarding overcrowding, the prevalence of a 'VIP culture,' traffic congestion, rising costs and general administrative disarray.
Against this backdrop, the trend of filming and circulating social media reels within the shrine has now cast yet another major shadow of doubt on the functioning of both the administration and the BKTC.
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