Churdhar Temple fee row: Prez directs Chief Secy to act on plea challenging entry fee

In a landmark development concerning the religious rights of pilgrims, the President of India has directed the Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh to take necessary action on a citizen’s petition opposing the entry fee imposed by the Forest Department on devotees visiting the sacred Churdhar Temple.

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The temple, perched at a height of 11,965 feet above sea level, is not only the highest peak in Sirmaur district but also the tallest in the outer Himalayan range, attracting thousands of devotees from Himachal Pradesh, neighbouring Uttarakhand and other states.

The revered shrine of Lord Shiva and regional deity Shirgul Maharaj, located amidst dense deodar forests in the Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary, holds immense religious significance for people from Sirmaur, Shimla and Solan districts of Himachal, as well as for the tribal communities of the Jaunsar-Bawar region in Uttarakhand. For many, Shirgul Maharaj is their kuldevta (ancestral deity), and the Churdhar Yatra is an annual spiritual obligation.

The controversy erupted following a petition filed by a local resident, who directly appealed to the President of India. The petitioner argued that the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department’s imposition of an entry fee on pilgrims – particularly Rs 20 to 100/ per person fee – violates the religious freedom guaranteed under Article 25 of the Constitution of India, which ensures every citizen the right to freely profess, practice, and propagate religion.

The petition further alleged that such a fee discriminates against economically backward tribal communities, especially those from the Jaunsar-Bawar belt, who undertake the arduous journey to Churdhar not for tourism but out of deep religious reverence.

The petitioner emphasised that while the state may levy fee on tourists and trekkers for using forest areas, it must draw a clear distinction when it comes to devotees engaged in pilgrimage. The fee, it argued, acts as a deterrent to religious access and thus warrants immediate intervention.

Taking cognisance of the matter, the President’s Secretariat at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, issued a formal directive on May 7, instructing the Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh to investigate the issue and initiate appropriate action. The Secretariat also mandated that the petitioner be directly informed about the outcome of the proceedings as per the communication accessed by The Tribune.

The directive marks a rare but significant presidential intervention in a matter concerning regional religious rights and forest governance, especially where constitutional freedoms are potentially being undermined.

In the wake of the presidential order, local administrative officials and temple management bodies have mobilised to address the concerns raised.

The Chopal SDM, who also heads the Churdhar Temple Committee, convened a crucial meeting with members of the Chudeshwar Seva Samiti and the temple management. Following deliberations, a formal letter has been submitted to the Deputy Commissioner of Shimla, recommending that the entry fee for devotees be waived immediately.

Bhagmal Nanta, president of the Chudeshwar Seva Samiti — a prominent socio-religious local body, expressed strong opposition to the fee structure. “We have no objection if the Forest Department collects trekking or environmental maintenance fee from tourists and adventure seekers. But to charge pilgrims who are coming solely to seek the blessings of their kuldevta is both morally and constitutionally wrong,” Nanta said.

He emphasised that the Churdhar Yatra is not a recreational activity but a deeply spiritual journey undertaken by thousands of faithful from economically marginalised backgrounds. “We urge the government to differentiate between tourist activity and religious pilgrimage. The sentiments of the devotees must not be compromised by arbitrary administrative decisions,” he added.

Legal experts pointed out that while state governments are within their rights to regulate access to protected forest areas, blanket application of entry fee without consideration of the purpose – especially when it involves constitutionally protected religious practices – could face judicial scrutiny.

“Past judgments of the Supreme Court and various High Courts have upheld the primacy of fundamental rights, especially in matters of religious freedom, as long as public order and environmental sustainability are not compromised. In this context, the application of a uniform fee to all entrants, regardless of their purpose, could be seen as an infringement of Article 25 rights,” stated the petitioner.

Furthermore, the petition reportedly referenced earlier court observations where pilgrimage was recognised as a fundamental aspect of religious expression and thus required state facilitation, not restriction.

Attempts to reach Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena for a statement were unsuccessful, as he remained unreachable over the phone at the time of filing this report.