Archive · 29 Sep 2026
Conch Claim Fuels Political Row Over Badrinath Cultural Festival
A disagreement has started about a conch and a festival at the Badrinath temple.
Minister Satpal Maharaj said conches are not blown inside because they are made of bone.
Congress leader Suryakant Dhasmana said a conch is actually the shell of a sea animal.
He also said conches have long been used in Hindu worship.
The argument began after a cultural festival at Badrinath included music and dancing.
Some critics said those performances did not fit the shrine’s religious setting.
The minister said there is no general ban on music, dance or cultural programmes there.
The local administration said the Army organized the performances and that it had advised organizers to respect local religious traditions.
Uttarakhand Minister Satpal Maharaj said conches are not blown inside Badrinath temple because they are made of bone.
Congress leader Suryakant Dhasmana said a conch is a marine mollusc shell made primarily of calcium carbonate.
Maharaj denied any ban on music, dance or cultural programmes at Badrinath, saying conches may be blown outside the temple.
The Devbhoomi Cultural Festival was held at Badrinath on September 19 and 20 under the Army’s Operation Sadbhavana.
Critics questioned the festival’s religious appropriateness, while the Chamoli administration said the Army selected the performances and format.
- Who
- Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Satpal Maharaj, Congress leader Suryakant Dhasmana, festival organizers, and critics including Murli Manohar Joshi.
- What
- A political dispute arose over Maharaj’s explanation for not blowing conches inside Badrinath temple and over a cultural festival held there.
- When
- The festival took place on September 19 and 20, 2026; the conch-related controversy followed less than two weeks later.
- Where
- Badrinath Dham in Uttarakhand, including the Tourist Arrival Plaza near the shrine.
- Why
- The dispute concerns the religious appropriateness of music and dance at the site and the scientific and religious basis of the minister’s conch explanation.
Minister, Organizers and Administration
Congress and Festival Critics
Religious appropriateness of performances
Minister, Organizers and Administration
Satpal Maharaj said there is no ban on music, dance or cultural programmes at Badrinath. The Chamoli administration said the festival showcased folk culture and border-village traditions, while noting that it advised organizers to respect the shrine’s significance.
Congress and Festival Critics
Murli Manohar Joshi criticized what he described as a music concert or DJ event, saying such programmes were inconsistent with Badrinath’s religious and cultural decorum.
Reason for the conch restriction
Minister, Organizers and Administration
Maharaj explained that conches are not blown inside the temple because they are made of bone, while saying they may be blown outside the premises.
Congress and Festival Critics
Dhasmana said the explanation showed a lack of scientific and religious understanding, describing a conch as a marine mollusc shell and noting the traditional use of conches in Hindu worship.
Responsibility for the festival format
Minister, Organizers and Administration
The Chamoli administration said its role was mainly to facilitate stalls and arrangements, and that the Army selected the performances and decided the format.
Congress and Festival Critics
Critics directed scrutiny at the administration and government over the event, with Congress asking Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to clarify whether the government supported Maharaj’s explanation.
- Festival
- Devbhoomi Cultural Festival 2026
- Festival dates
- September 19-20, 2026
- Location
- Tourist Arrival Plaza, Badrinath
- Organizer
- The Army, under Operation Sadbhavana
- Minister’s claim
- Conches are not blown inside the temple because they are made of bone
- Scientific description cited
- A conch is the outer shell of a marine mollusc, primarily made of calcium carbonate
- Political demand
- Congress sought an apology from Maharaj and clarification from Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami