New Delhi: The sanctum sanctorum of Kedarnath Dham has been plated with 550 layers of gold, news agency ANI reported Wednesday. The layering has been done to decorate the temple, according to the report.
Ajanedra Ajay, president of the Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee, told ANI that the work was completed on Wednesday morning, adding that it took three days to complete it.
A six-member team from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, the Central Building Research, Roorkee, and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) visited Kedarnath Dham and inspected the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. After a report by the experts, the work of applying the gold layering on the sanctum sanctorum began.
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Temple committee president Ajendra Ajay said 550 layers of gold were transported to Kedarnath three days ago through 18 horse mules.
He said that 19 artisans had done the work of applying gold layers under the supervision of two ASI officers.
Last month, a section of priests in Kedarnath opposed the gold plating of the walls inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple in the Himalayan state, saying it amounted to tampering with its centuries-old traditions. They were worried that the use of big drilling machines during the process would damage the temple walls.
The four walls of the famed temple were covered with silver plates, which have now been removed to replace them with gold plates.
The gold plating of the temple's walls was done after a Shiva devotee from Maharashtra volunteered to make an offering of the gold for the purpose, and his proposal was accepted by the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee with permission from the state government.