Dehradun: The decision of Kedarnath temple to gold plate its sanctum sanctorum walls inside has been opposed by a section of priests, citing that it would damage the Himalayan temple's centuries-old traditions, PTI reported.
The pilgrimage priests, who opposed the decision, cited that the use of heavy machines to drill would damage temple walls.
Earlier, the wall sported silver plating and the same was removed so that they could be replaced with gold plates. The decision to gold plate the walls was taken after a Maharashtra-based devotee made the offering of gold for the purpose. The temple authorities accepted the proposal, and the state government also gave permission.
One of the pilgrimage priests, Santosh Trivedi, said, "The gold plating is damaging the temple walls. Big drilling machines are being used for this purpose. We cannot tolerate this tampering with the centuries-old traditions of the temple."
But some senior priests are supportive of the work, which is currently going on inside the temple's sanctum sanctorum.
The senior priest at the temple Shrinivas Posti and former president of Kedar Sabha Mahesh Bagwadi, said the temple is a major centre of the Sanatan faith, and the gold plating of its walls is in keeping with the Hindu beliefs and traditions.
When senior priest Shrinivas Posti, former president of Kedar Sabha Mahesh Bagwadi, stated that the gold plating of its walls is in keeping with the Hindu beliefs and traditions, Temple Committee president Ajendra Ajay said the works are done in accordance with the traditions without tampering with the original structure.
Ajay said, "Renovation and beautification of the temple from time to time is a normal practice. A handful of priests may oppose it, but their representative bodies never opposed it. Decades ago, the temple ceiling used to be made of grass and twigs. As the times changed, it began to be made of stones and later of copper sheets."
He called the protest against the gold plating process opposition propaganda.
"Hindu temples all over the country are symbols of grandeur. Decorating Hindu deities with gold and jewellery have been part of our traditions. I see nothing wrong in covering the temple walls with gold plates," Ajay argued.