Protest against vandalisation of Rudranath temple in Uttarakhand

Several organisations on Monday took out a march here and shops in the main market area downed their shutters in protest against the recent vandalisation of the Rudranath temple.The protest march was taken out from Gopinath Mandir to the District Magistrates office where a sit-in was held against the Saturday incident in which the main gates of the temple were broken and the iron grill fencing off its sanctum sanctorum was damaged.

Several organisations on Monday took out a march here and shops in the main market area downed their shutters in protest against the recent vandalisation of the Rudranath temple.

The protest march was taken out from Gopinath Mandir to the District Magistrate's office where a sit-in was held against the Saturday incident in which the main gates of the temple were broken and the iron grill fencing off its sanctum sanctorum was damaged. People associated with different organisations, ''hak hakookdharis'' (those having traditional rights of the temple) and other stakeholders took part in the protest. This is the fourth time that the temple has been vandalised, temple priest Harish Bhatt said. Located at a height of nearly 10000 ft above sea level, the Rudranath temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is part of the Panch Kedar group of temples. The temple gates are closed at present for winters and the presiding deity is being worshipped at his winter abode - Gopeshwar's Gopinath temple.

The vandalisation of the temple came to light when a forest patrol party visited it on Saturday and found its portals broken.