A cultural festival held at Badrinath earlier this month has triggered a controversy, with priests, religious figures and politicians — including BJP veteran Murali Manohar Joshi — objecting to the nature of the performances and the use of amplified music at the shrine.

The two-day Devbhoomi Cultural Festival-2026 was held on September 19 and 20 at the Tourist Arrival Plaza in Badrinath under the Army’s Operation Sadbhavana, in collaboration with the Chamoli district administration and the Uttarakhand Tourism Department. The festival was billed as an effort to showcase Uttarakhand’s folk culture, local products, handicrafts, traditional food and the traditions of villages along the border.

The controversy followed videos of performances, including one by Uttarakhand singer Priyanka Meher, circulating on social media, showing amplified music and people dancing. Meher’s performance brought the first day of the festival to a close.

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Former BJP president Murli Manohar Joshi criticised the event in a post on X, saying permission for a “music concert” or “DJ event” at Badrinath was contrary to the cultural and religious decorum of the shrine. He referred to the tradition of not blowing conch shells at Badrinath and urged the Centre and state government to prohibit such events.

बद्रीनाथ धाम में संगीत समारोह ( DJ concert) को अनुमति प्रदान करना ना केवल सांस्कृतिक मर्यादाओं का उन्लंघन है अपितु धाम की पवित्रता पर भी सीधा आघात है। आदि गुरु शंकराचार्य महाराज जी द्वारा इस धाम की स्थापना हिमालयी पर्यावरण मे शांतिपूर्ण तरीके से भगवत भजन के लिए की थी उल्लेखनीय है…

— Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi (@DrMurliManohar_) September 25, 2026

Uttarakhand activist Anoop Nautiyal also criticised the programme on X, saying the Char Dhams were sacred spaces of faith and questioning the use of such venues for entertainment programmes.

Our Char Dhams are sacred spaces of faith, not stages for crowd entertainment. The recent musical performance at Shri Badrinath Dham raises serious questions about the growing commercialisation of pilgrimage. This trend must be stopped at all costs.

We must also be careful and… pic.twitter.com/IX4Oeiju73

— Anoop Nautiyal (@Anoopnautiyal1) September 24, 2026

The Char Dham Teerth Purohit Mahapanchayat has also objected to the use of loud music and the nature of the performances at the venue, saying activities around the shrine should conform to its religious traditions.

In a clarification issued amid the controversy, the Chamoli district administration said its role in the event was limited largely to facilitating stalls and other arrangements, while the cultural programme itself was organised by the Army.

According to the administration, the Army selected the cultural performances and decided their format. It also said that performances representing the folk culture, traditional practices and local customs of border villages, including Bamni and Mana, were part of the programme.

The administration further said it had advised the local Army authorities to conduct the programme keeping in mind Badrinath’s religious faith, mythological and spiritual significance, and local religious traditions. It appealed to the public not to form opinions based solely on social media posts without verifying facts.