Mukesh Ambani visits Badrinath Kedarnath temple; donates Rs 2 crore to buy sandalwood

Billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani today paid a visit to the ancient Badrinath temple in Uttarakhand. As per news agency ANI, the Chairman of Reliance Industries (RIL) also donated around Rs 2 crore to Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) to buy sandalwood and saffron. Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also visited the famous temple after the seven-phase Lok Sabha election which concluded on May 19.

During his visit, Mukesh Ambani was welcomed by the temple committee authorities, including BKTC chief executive officer BD Singh Dharmadhikari. As per the report, Ambani offered prayers, wished welfare for the country, and listened to lessons from the holy text from the Bhagwat Gita.

Ambani has also assured the temple authorities to buy land to procure sandalwood from the forests of Tamil Nadu for the temple trust. Ambani is reportedly carrying out the temple welfare project in the name of his father Dhirubhai Ambani.

The temple was thrown open to the public after six months of winter break on May 10. This is not the first time the temple has received such a huge donation. After the temple was opened this year, a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) donated two crowns and three gem-laden shields worth over Rs 1.25 crore to the temple, reported ANI.

Earlier, PM Modi had spent a night in a cave near Uttarakhand's Kedarnath temple. He told reporters outside the Himalayan shrine of Kedarnath: "I did not ask for anything. I don't believe in asking because God only wants us to give...all I want is 'Baba' Kedarnath bestows his blessings not just upon India but entire mankind." He also thanked the Election Commission of India for allowing him to undertake the visit, saying he got two days of "rest" there.

The EC had given its nod to Modi's visit while "reminding" the Prime Minister's Office that the model code of conduct is still in force.

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Edited by Manoj Sharma