The Tourist Arrival Plaza adjoining the Badrinath temple, perched at more than 10,200 feet in the Himalayas, hosted a two‑day cultural fair on September 19 and 20 under the theme “Our Heritage, Our Future.”
Officials said the fair was part of the Indian Army’s community‑outreach programme, Operation Sadbhavana, and was organised in cooperation with the Chamoli district administration and the Uttarakhand Tourism Department; Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami attended the opening.
A highlight of the programme was a “Bhajan Jamming” session featuring singer Priyanka Meher, amplified DJ music, pulsing lights and a crowd that social‑media users described as resembling a nightclub rather than a traditional devotional gathering.
Clips of the performance quickly spread on X, prompting a wave of condemnation from religious authorities who argued that the loud music and “vulgar” staging violated the sanctity of the Badrinath shrine, a key site on the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit.
Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath, said that sages and ascetics have long enforced strict norms of peace around the shrine, even prohibiting the blowing of a conch, and demanded that such concerts be barred from the area.
Brijesh Sati, general secretary of the Uttarakhand Teerth Purohits Samiti, recalled a similar army‑organised event in April, before the temple’s portals opened, which the priest community also opposed, noting that government permission, not the army alone, is required for such activities.
Uttarakhand activist Anoop Nautiyal called the festival an “unprecedented, condemnable violation of religious tradition,” urging that future events be discussed with local stakeholders in advance.
Congress spokesperson Garima Dasauni questioned the line between tourism promotion and commercialisation at a sacred pilgrimage site, asking the government for clarification.
The Chamoli district administration responded that it had only approved a stall as part of the fair and was not aware of the DJ performance. A senior official said the administration has written to the Indian Army seeking a response on whether any permission was obtained for the concert.