Char Dham board decides to not livestream ceremonies held inside shrines

The Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Management Board on Friday decided that it would not livestream religious ceremonies performed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the four shrines.

According to a government release, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who chaired the board’s meeting, said that the livestreaming of only the outer premises of the shrines would be possible. On June 28, while hearing a bunch of petitions related to the availability of health infrastructure in the state, the Uttarakhand High Court had stayed for four weeks the state cabinet decision allowing the Char Dham yatra for residents of three districts from July 1. The court had directed the government to ensure that the ceremonies carried out within the sanctum sanctorum of the Char Dham temples be livestreamed for the people.

In the next hearing on July 7, the Advocate General had informed the court that the state government has referred the matter to the Char Dham Devasthanam Board. Therefore, he had sought time to further inform the court whether the livestreaming of the pujas and archanas, carried out within the sanctum sanctorum of the Char Dham temples, would be possible or not.

After the board’s meeting Friday, Tourism Minister and vice-chairman of the board Satpal Maharaj said, “The opinion of all the board members, priests of shrines and other organisations have been received on the issue. The government will apprise the High Court about the opinion.”