Controversy Erupts Over Replica Kedarnath Temple Built by Akhilesh Yadav in Etawah
In a development stirring religious and political tensions, a faction of priests associated with the revered Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand has issued a stern warning to Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, demanding an immediate halt to the construction of a temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Etawah that they claim is a near-exact replica of the original Kedarnath shrine.
The contentious Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple, located near the Etawah Safari Park along Gwalior Road, has already attracted thousands of devotees during the ongoing Shravan month, with many Kanwariyas offering holy Ganga water at the site.
The temple, with an imposing 84-foot granite central structure, is designed to mirror the 85-foot-high Kedarnath temple nestled in the Himalayas. Uniquely, while the inner sanctum resembles Kedarnath, the outer campus architecture draws inspiration from Tamil Nadu’s Brihadeeswara Temple in Thanjavur.
The temple’s foundation stone was laid by Akhilesh Yadav on March 7, 2021, and though construction is ongoing, the shrine was opened to devotees on February 26, 2025. Akhilesh had visited the temple in March, participating in rituals and sharing images of his visit across social media platforms.
However, the act has been met with sharp criticism and threats from religious quarters.
Santosh Trivedi, a priest from the original Kedarnath Dham in Chamoli district, said the imitation structure amounts to religious appropriation and sacrilege.
“We demand that the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government immediately intervene, take control of the Etawah temple, and alter its structure to distinguish it from the original Kedarnath shrine,” Trivedi said.
“If SP president Akhilesh Yadav does not halt the construction and change the design, we will be left with no choice but to launch a dharna outside his residence in Saifai,” he warned.
The controversy has also acquired a political dimension, with BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi attacking Akhilesh for allegedly using religion as a political tool.
“Akhilesh Yadav refused to attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, claiming that the structure was not yet complete.
But he had no hesitation in visiting and praying at his under-construction temple,” Tripathi remarked.
“His faith seems selectively convenient and purely political,” he added.
In response, SP insiders have defended the move, asserting that the temple was constructed through party donations and public support, with the intent to make spiritual worship more accessible to Shiva devotees in Uttar Pradesh.
“The original Kedarnath temple is located in a remote, hilly region that many devotees find difficult to access. Our leader has brought a similar spiritual experience to the plains, allowing more people to offer prayers,” said an SP functionary.
SP spokesperson Anurag Bhadauriya further defended Akhilesh’s initiative.
“No other political leader has taken such an inclusive and spiritually empowering step. The Kedareshwar Mahadev temple is a testament to Akhilesh ji’s commitment to culture and devotion,” he claimed.
However, the issue is unlikely to die down soon. Hemant Dwivedi, the head of the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temples Committee, has stated that his team is gathering all relevant details and taking legal counsel.
“We are considering legal action against the construction of this Kedarnath-inspired temple in Etawah,” he noted.
