Daijiworld Media Network - Dehradun

Dehradun, Mar 9: A cloud of mystery has surrounded the sacred portals of the Kedarnath Temple after reports that the Roop Chhad, a revered silver sceptre believed to symbolise Lord Kedarnath, has gone missing from the custody of the Badri Kedar Temple Committee.

The disappearance of the sacred object has triggered widespread concern across Uttarakhand, prompting Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to order a high-level probe into the alleged negligence by the temple management body.

The Roop Chhad is regarded as a significant religious symbol that accompanies the Chal Vigraha Doli, the movable idol used during religious processions associated with the shrine.

According to long-standing tradition linked to the Char Dham Yatra, any sacred symbol or ritual object connected with the temples is considered the private property of the deity.

Temple priest Ashok Tiwari said that such sacred items are strictly prohibited from being taken outside temple premises for external purposes. Ensuring their protection and proper custody is the responsibility of the Badri Kedar Temple Committee.

The missing sceptre, made of silver and deeply revered by devotees, was reportedly kept in the committee’s secure custody. Its sudden disappearance has raised serious questions about security arrangements at the temple.

Authorities have now launched an investigation to determine how the sacred object went missing and to fix responsibility for the lapse.