Kathmandu, July 6, 2013: Rituals normally observed at flood-hit Kedarnath shrine were performed at an Indian temple in Kathmandu on Saturday and will continue till the Uttarakhand temple that stands amid heaps of debris currently is opened for prayers again. A headless bull-shaped deity is worshipped at Kedarnath temple. Doleshwar Mahadev temple in Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, is believed to contain the missing head. Also, several traditions are common to both temples.

“Kedarnath head priest Bhim Shankarling Shivacharya requested us to perform the puja here after it stopped at Kedarnath due to floods,” said Bharatmani Jangam, patron of Doleshwar temple.

The Kedarnath-Doleshwar link got strengthened four years ago when Shivacharya, during a visit to Nepal, noticed the puja rituals were similar at both the shrines. He had then declared the bull head worshipped at Doleshwar was the missing head of the Kedarnath idol.

Doleshwar Mahadev chief priest Bacchu Ram Jangam said the puja will continue till Kedarnath is thrown open to devotees again.

Recently, a controversy when a group of spiritual leaders, led by Shankaracharya Swaroopanand Saraswati demanded that the worship should begin at Kedarnath at the earliest.

But Shivacharya decided to shift the most revered symbol of Lord Shiva at Kedarnath, the "bhog murti", or the idol of the deity, to a temple in Ukhimath, 61 km, from Kedarnath. The idol is worshipped at Ukhimath during six months and shifted to Kedarnath in May. Shivacharya has said puja can resume at Kedarnath only after the shrine was purified.

Meanwhile, considering the religious importance of Doleshwar shrine and its potential to attract Hindu devotees, the Nepal government has plans to develop the area.

“A master plan of NR 38 crore (Rs 23.75 crore) has been earmarked to improve infrastructure around the temple,” said Krishna Hari Baskota, secretary to the office of Nepal’s prime minister.

Source: Hindustan Times, DT. July 6, 2013.