Priests blast Akhilesh Yadav for construction of 'Kedarnath replica' in Etawah: 'Religious violation'

Akhilesh Yadav

A major religious and political controversy has erupted over the construction of a temple named Kedareshwar Mahadev Dham in Saifai, the native village of Samajwadi Party (SP) chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. Several prominent Hindu seer bodies and priest associations have strongly opposed the temple, alleging that it is a symbolic replica of the Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand and an affront to the spiritual and cultural sanctity of one of India’s holiest Jyotirlingas.

The Char Dham Teerth Purohit Mahapanchayat, the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, and other influential religious bodies have raised objections, accusing Akhilesh Yadav of attempting to politicize sacred religious symbols for regional gains. They have demanded an immediate halt to construction and warned of legal action if the project is not scrapped or modified.

“It is not just a temple; it is a sacred space of spiritual power. Replicating the Kedarnath shrine’s design and garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) in Saifai is an emotional and religious violation for crores of Sanatan Dharma followers,” said Suresh Semwal, President of the Char Dham Teerth Purohit Mahapanchayat. “We have no objection to a Shiva temple, but using the architectural blueprint of Kedarnath demeans the unique identity of that revered site.”

Brijesh Sati, General Secretary of the Mahapanchayat, added that this was not the first such attempt. “Earlier in Telangana and Delhi, similar efforts to build symbolic Kedarnath replicas were dropped following strong opposition. The Uttarakhand government even passed a Cabinet resolution on July 18, 2024, warning against unauthorized use of Char Dham temple names or architectural imitation.”

Echoing these concerns, Mahant Ravindrapuri, President of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad and head of the Mansa Devi Temple Trust, accused Akhilesh Yadav of hatching a “conspiracy to belittle Kedarnath and Sanatan Dharma.” He said, “If he truly wants to build a temple, he should do so with a new identity. Why copy Kedarnath?”

Mahamandaleshwar Swami Lalitananda Giri also opposed the construction. “Lord Shiva’s temple can be built anywhere, under any name, but invoking the symbolism and name of the 12th Jyotirlinga is unacceptable. It confuses devotees and violates sacred tradition,” he said.

The Etawah temple located on the Shiva Aksha Rekha — a sacred line that connects eight major Shiva shrines from Kedarnath to Rameshwaram —is set for inauguration on Shivratri, February 15, 2026.

'It’s inspired, not a replica'

Amid the rising outcry, Moadhu Botta Yadav, the chief architect of the Kedareshwar Dham, defended the design. “Yes, we took inspiration from Kedarnath, but this is not a replica,” he said. “There are significant differences—our temple has four towering gopurams around the central structure, a hallmark of South Indian architecture. Kedarnath does not have this feature.”

He added that the temple has a jal kund (water tank), a 200-pillar corridor, and a unique Nandi statue that faces away from the sanctum, unlike Kedarnath where Nandi faces the deity. “This design element is inspired by the Chamundeshwari Hills temple in Karnataka. This is the first temple of its kind in India since the 15th century,” Botta said.

However, he also confirmed that the temple construction is now in its final stages, making any changes to the design nearly impossible. “We are too far along to alter the blueprint now.”

Amid the seers' outrage, Gopal Yadav, a local SP leader from Etawah, came to Akhilesh Yadav’s defense, calling the controversy “a politically motivated stunt orchestrated by the BJP.”

“The temple is a symbol of devotion, not imitation. The BJP is trying to divert attention from real issues by playing the religion card,” Gopal Yadav said. “We are not insulting any religious belief. If anything, we are honoring Lord Shiva through this magnificent temple that blends architectural traditions.”

He accused the BJP of “planting outrage” among religious bodies to tarnish the image of the Samajwadi Party and Akhilesh Yadav, especially as political temperatures rise in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.

With priests preparing for potential legal action and the temple nearing completion, the dispute is now at the intersection of faith, politics, and cultural preservation. What began as a symbolic gesture of reverence toward Lord Shiva is now spiraling into a heated national debate about religious authenticity, regional pride, and political motive.

Whether Kedareshwar Dham will be embraced as a modern marvel or condemned as an infringement on sacred tradition remains to be seen. The coming weeks could see the matter escalate further into courts and the political arena.