Mathura seer seeks PM's intervention in opening of Badrinath temple

A seer in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura city on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to allow opening of the portals of Badrinath temple which were shut in view of the ongoing lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The portals of Badrinath temple in Garhwal Himalayas, which were scheduled to open on April 30, will now open on May 15.

The decision was taken in view of circumstances created by the coronavirus pandemic, Dharmadhikari of the Badrinath temple Bhuvan Chandra Uniyal had said.

Seeking the prime minister's intervention in the matter, Shankaracharya Adkhokshajanand Deo Tirth Maharaj has written a letter to him.

He has urged Modi to ensure that the portals of the temple are reopened on April 30 instead of May 15.

"In spite of sincere efforts of the prime minister and chief ministers to contain the coronavirus outbreak, the onslaught of the disease is not reducing as expected," he told reporters here.

"At a time, when the country which is in the grip of COVID-19 badly needs divine blessing, the decision of the Uttarakhand government to reschedule the opening of the temple gates is uncalled for," the seer said.

Referring to the 2013 Uttarakhand flood that claimed several lives, he said, "Uttarakhand has not yet recovered from the wrath of Lord Shiva.