Row over ‘barring of Indians’ at kirtan festival in Rishikesh ashram

HARIDWAR: A controversy broke out in the Tapovan area of Rishikesh after a widely circulated video by a local yoga aspirant alleged that Indian visitors were "barred from entering" a kirtan festival at Anand Dham ashram, sparking allegations of discrimination against Indian devotees.

However, local police later rejected the allegations, stating that "no such discrimination had taken place" and that the claims made in the purported video were "unfounded".The fifth Rishikesh Kirtan Fest was organised at Anand Dham ashram in the Tapovan area. The festival featured a range of activities, including yoga and meditation workshops, devotion classes, havan and kirtan rituals, held from Feb 16 to March 22 this year.

According to the organisers, no registration is required for the morning sessions, while registration is mandatory for evening sessions in the kirtan hall.However, local yoga aspirants who attempted to enter the ashram to participate in the festival claimed they were stopped by volunteers, who allegedly said that "foreigners were being prioritised for entry". The allegation led to widespread criticism online, prompting a local police team to visit the ashram and investigate the claims.

According to police, the event was organised by non-resident Indians (NRIs) and a specific hall had been reserved for foreign guests as part of the arrangements. Authorities clarified that there were "no restrictions on Indian visitors entering the ashram premises and that the venue remained open to all".Officials added that certain programmes and yoga sessions in Rishikesh, which primarily cater to foreign tourists, sometimes limit the number of Indian participants for logistical and security reasons.

They said the "arrangements at the festival were administrative and should not be interpreted as discrimination against anyone".SHO of Muniki Reti police station, Pankaj Chauhan, told TOI, "I personally visited Anand Dham ashram after allegations of discrimination against Indian devotees surfaced, but found them to be baseless, as many Indians with valid registrations were participating in the event. The yoga aspirant who posted the video also visited the ashram the next day and issued an explanation.

No discrimination was found during the police inquiry. We have also requested the organisers to increase the number of registration counters for devotees."Speaking about the issue, social activist RM Dobhal said, "Rishikesh is known as a yoga city, attracting tourists from across the world for yoga and meditation. To maintain a peaceful environment, many visitors prefer quieter spaces and yoga schools sometimes conduct separate classes for them due to safety and security considerations. There is nothing unusual about this practice."