Haridwar, June 12 -- Shankaracharya of Jyotir and Dwarika Peeths, Swaroopanand Saraswati has expressed concern at the tendency to turn pilgrimage centres in Uttarakhand into tourist destinations.
The phenomenal rush observed in the Char Dham Yatra this year shows that people are coming to the city of Ganga (Haridwar) mainly to beat the heat and not to gain any religious merit. To cater to the needs of the tourists, more and more farmers are giving up their land to build hotels which is another matter of concern, said Shankaracharya Swaroopanand Saraswati.
Speaking to The Pioneer, the Shankaracharya said that the sole aim of the government in the state of Uttarakhand is to earn profits and draw economic benefits by promoting tourism. The w...