Baba builds temple at 16,500 feet on Uttarakhand glacier on 'divine instructions'

Days after Bhole Baba made headlines for Hathras stampede in which over 100 people were killed, another self-styled godman is creating a buzz for quietly erecting an unauthorized temple on government land, situated at over 5,000 meters (16,500 feet) on the Sunderdhunga glacier in Bageshwar, Uttarakhand. Baba Yogi Chaitanya Akash claims he received divine instructions to build the temple at this eco-sensitive high-altitude location, as reported by The Times of India.

The local administration is now investigating the matter, and a team will soon visit the site to address the encroachment.

Mahendra Singh Dhami, a villager told ToI, “The Baba convinced villagers to support the project, saying Devi Bhagwati appeared in his dreams and directed him to build the temple at Devi Kund. The kund, a sacred spot for pilgrims and locals, has practically been turned by this man into a swimming pool. He can often be seen bathing there. It is desecration. There is no doubt about that.”

Another local resident, Prakash Kumar told ToI, “This is blasphemy. For centuries, our deities have visited the kund during the Nanda Raj Yatra every 12 years. Now, this so-called baba has misled villagers and established this temple against our traditions.”

The local administration has launched an investigation into the unauthorised construction. Kapkot sub-divisional magistrate Anurag Arya said a team from the forest department, police, and revenue office will soon visit Devi Kund to remove the encroachment and take appropriate action against Yogi Chaitanya. Arya said, “I became aware of this issue only recently.”

ND Pandey, ranger, Glacier Range, added, “We have received communication about this (the mandir’s construction). A team is being dispatched to assess the situation at the location.”

The construction has highlighted intelligence and enforcement failures, especially as the state is conducting a large-scale anti-encroachment campaign in sensitive zones. The ease with which unauthorised individuals can operate in sensitive areas without detection has raised serious concerns among locals and officials alike.