The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee Authority (BKTC) has banned pilgrims from taking pictures or recording videos at the Kedarnath Temple. It put up signboards around the temple on Monday saying anybody found violating the ban on photography at the temple will face legal action.

The ban was imposed a month after a video of women showering currency notes in an objectionable way inside the temple went viral and triggered outrage. This month, a video of a woman proposing to a man by getting down on her knees outside the temple went viral and caused uproar.

BKTC president Ajendra Ajay said people were found uploading videos and pictures undermining the sanctity of the temple. “…therefore, the committee has prohibited any kind of photography inside the temple…”

Yogendra Singh, BKTC executive officer, said they have put up half a dozen signboards on each side of the temple to inform pilgrims about the prohibition. “It was being observed that some people were hurting the religious sentiments of the devotees by not maintaining the sanctity of the place and uploading videos.”

Veena Devi, a pilgrim from Gujarat’s Surat, said the authorities should make it clear that the Char Dham temples are seats of the utmost reverence and spiritual guidance for millions of Hindus, and these places should not be treated as picnic spots.

Another pilgrim Visheswar Rai from Patna said the government instead of focusing on the influx of pilgrims in large numbers should allow only religious people to come to such temples.

Sameer Shukla, the founder of Soham Himalayan Centre in Mussoorie working for preserving the traditional culture and heritage of the state, said the purpose will not be served by placing signboards. “The government to avoid repetition of such untoward incidents should differentiate between pilgrimage and tourism with a focus on maintaining age-old customs and sanctity of the shrines. The responsibility of maintaining the sanctity of the shrine should be of whosoever is the custodian of the place either by convention or by appointment.”

Himanu Basu, another pilgrim from Kolkata, said one is not allowed inside without following the rules and regulations in South Indian temples. “There is a dress code and such practice should be followed in all temples across India.”