Conch Made Of Bone? What Uttarakhand Minister Said About Badrinath Temple

Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Satpal Maharaj’s remarks about why a conch is not blown inside the Badrinath temple have sparked a fresh controversy, days after a cultural festival at the shrine drew criticism over music, dance and loud DJ performances.

Maharaj, who holds the Culture, Endowment and Tourism portfolios, said there was no basis for claiming that music has no place in Badrinath. However, his explanation about the use of conch shells inside the temple angered the Uttarakhand Chardham Teerth Purohit Mahapanchayat.

What Did Satpal Maharaj Say About The Conch?

Explaining the practice at the Badrinath temple, Maharaj said a conch is sounded outside the shrine but is not used during worship inside.

“There is a belief there that the conch is made from an animal bone, and bones are not used in worship,” he said.

Maharaj also clarified that it would be incorrect to say conches are never sounded in Badrinath. He referred to conches associated with Lord Krishna and Lord Vishnu while explaining the broader religious traditions associated with the shrine.

His remarks on the conch subsequently became the focus of a fresh dispute with the priests’ body.

Why Is The Conch Statement Controversial?

Brijesh Sati, general secretary of the Uttarakhand Chardham Teerth Purohit Mahapanchayat, called Maharaj’s statement that a conch is made of animal bone “extremely ridiculous”.

Sati argued that blowing a conch during auspicious occasions and religious rituals has been a longstanding tradition in Sanatan religious practices, including at temples, pilgrimage sites and places of worship.

He said the minister should study scriptures and Puranas and consult his advisers before making such statements.

The Mahapanchayat has also linked Maharaj’s remarks to the larger controversy over cultural programmes at Badrinath.

What Is The Badrinath Cultural Festival Row?

The dispute began after videos of the ‘Devbhoomi Cultural Festival 2026’, held at the Arrival Plaza in Badrinath on September 19 and 20, surfaced.

The programme featured music and dance performances, including loud DJ music. Critics questioned whether such entertainment-based programmes were appropriate at a major religious pilgrimage site and raised concerns about maintaining the religious dignity of Badrinath Dham.

As protests grew, questions were also raised over the administration’s role in allowing the event.

The Chamoli district administration issued a notice to the commanding officer of Garhwal Scouts, seeking an explanation regarding permission for the programme and the use of a loud sound system.

What Did Satpal Maharaj Say About Music In Badrinath?

Maharaj rejected the argument that there is no place for music in Badrinath.

He cited singing at Urvashi Peeth, cultural programmes organised under previous governments and traditional instruments played during weddings in nearby Mana village.

“There is singing and music, and great storytellers come who sing,” Maharaj said while referring to Urvashi Peeth.

He also pointed to traditional Dhol-Damauns played during local wedding ceremonies in Mana.

Maharaj further cited the military bagpipe band that performs during the opening and closing of the Badrinath temple doors, saying the band plays respectfully before the deity.

Priests Reject Comparison Between Traditional Music And DJ Events

The Chardham Mahapanchayat has challenged Maharaj’s reasoning on music and sound at Badrinath.

Sati argued that traditional religious instruments played at temples and religious sites cannot be equated with programmes featuring loud, modern sound systems.

He also cited court orders while questioning the use of loudspeakers at religious sites.

The Mahapanchayat has alleged that Maharaj’s remarks about the conch were intended to divert attention from the controversy surrounding the cultural festival.

What Is The Core Dispute?

At the heart of the controversy are two separate questions: what religious practices are traditionally followed at Badrinath, and what kind of cultural programmes and sound systems are appropriate around the shrine.

Maharaj has argued that music and traditional performances have historically been part of the wider cultural setting around Badrinath.

The Chardham priests’ body, meanwhile, maintains that traditional religious practices should not be equated with modern entertainment events involving loud DJ music. It has also objected to the minister’s explanation that the conch is not used inside the temple because of a belief that it is made from animal bone.

The debate over the cultural festival has therefore now widened into a dispute over the religious explanation offered for the temple’s conch-related practice.