With the latest controversial remark, Urvashi Rautela has again become the center of attention. The Bollywood actress recently stated that a temple close to the sacred town of Badrinath Dham in Uttarakhand is named after her. But her comments have attracted criticism from locals and religious leaders, with many doubting the authenticity of her claim.
Urvashi’s Claims
During an interview with YouTuber Siddharth Kannan’s podcast, Urvashi Rautela revealed that there was a temple close to Badrinath Dham which was named after her. She added that devotees come to the temple and make offerings, and even proposed that a temple should be constructed in the South, as she is very popular there.
When asked for clarification, Urvashi reiterated the same statement several times, claiming the temple in Uttarakhand actually bore her name. Her claim went viral through social media rather quickly, invoking a backlash response from many upon questioning the genuineness as well as taste of her comment.
The debate became more heated when Bhuwan Chandra Uniyal, a senior priest of Badrinath Dham, came out in public to deny claims put forth by Urvashi. According to Uniyal, the temple spoken of by Urvashi is an ancient shrine dedicated to Goddess Sati, one among the 108 Shaktipeeths in Hinduism, and not the actress herself. (via Indiatoday)
The priest condemned Urvashi’s statements, calling them misleading and disrespectful. He asserted that the temple’s cultural, religious, and historical importance is beyond question from the standpoint of the village folk and pilgrims who visit Badrinath.
Urvashi’s Team Issues Clarification
To the increased controversy and outrage by religious leaders and the general public, Urvashi Rautela’s team released a statement on April 19, 2025, clearing up the misunderstanding. Urvashi did not say the temple is “her temple,” the team said, but only stated that she knows there is a temple in her name in Uttarakhand. The team further stated that she was misrepresented and misrepresented by media outlets and bloggers online.
The statement also underscored that Urvashi had also been referred to as “Damdami Mai” by Delhi University students, a nickname that had already been used in earlier reports. Urvashi’s team demanded legal action against those who distorted her words and propagated misinformation. They also demanded that people cross-check facts before making judgments and passing derogatory remarks.
Despite the clarification, the controversy continues to brew, with many questioning the authenticity of Urvashi’s claims. The controversy, in fact, also explains how religion-related matters should be sieved carefully, especially regarding sacred areas like the Badrinath Dham, making it even worse.
