Dhirendra Shastri urges women not to visit Bageshwar Dham alone

Peethadheeshwar Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri has issued a clear appeal on the safety of devotees visiting Bageshwar Dham in Chhatarpur. Speaking on Saturday night, he particularly urged mothers and sisters not to visit the Dham alone. He said that if women have to come alone for any reason, they should not blindly trust any unknown person or even a sevadaar.

Shastri appealed to all devotees to take responsibility for their own safety and belongings. He made it clear that devotees should remain alert instead of depending entirely on others while visiting the religious site.

Dhirendra Shastri said that he was not responsible for the security of the entire area spread across about 5 kilometres around Bageshwar Dham. According to him, he could take responsibility for arrangements inside the temple and the hall, but ensuring the safety of devotees throughout the entire परिसर was not within his authority.

Because of this, he said, people coming to the Dham would have to take precautions on their own. His message was that devotees should maintain awareness about their surroundings and should not assume that every person present at the Dham could automatically be trusted.

While warning women devotees, the Peethadheeshwar said, “Women should not come to the Dham alone, and no one should be trusted blindly.” He advised female devotees to avoid travelling to the Dham alone and suggested that they come with a group or family.

He also asked devotees to keep their distance from unknown people. Before placing their trust in anyone, visitors should exercise caution and verify the situation themselves. Shastri specifically mentioned sevadaars as well, saying that a person should not be trusted blindly merely because he is a sevadaar.

The appeal also included advice about where devotees should go after reaching the Dham. Dhirendra Shastri asked people to remain in the temple परिसर and the designated hall. He advised them to avoid moving around unnecessarily in nearby areas and to refrain from staying at the Dham for a long time without need.

He said that even a small lapse in caution at crowded religious places can create difficulties. For this reason, devotees have been asked to stay within the designated areas and remain careful during their visit.

His clarification about the 5-kilometre area was also an important part of the message. Shastri said that security across the entire 5-kilometre क्षेत्र was not his responsibility. Therefore, devotees arriving from outside would also have to take security-related precautions at their own level.

During his address, Dhirendra Shastri referred to concerns related to Sanatan Dharma. He said that opposition and situations involving disturbances against Sanatan Dharma continue to emerge at different levels. In such an atmosphere, he said, devotees should remain aware not only of their emotions and faith but also of their personal safety.

He also referred to incidents that had recently come to light in Vrindavan. Shastri said that he did not want any untoward incident of any kind to take place at Bageshwar Dham or for the image of the Dham to be affected because of such an incident.

He said that this was the reason devotees were being advised to remain cautious in advance. The warning was not limited to women travelling alone. It also covered unknown people, sevadaars, unnecessary movement outside the temple and hall, and the handling of personal belongings.

Devotees have been advised to remember four points: women should avoid coming to the Dham alone; no one should blindly trust an unknown person or a sevadaar; visitors should not go unnecessarily to places other than the temple and the designated hall; and they should personally take care of their mobile phones, cash, jewellery and other belongings.

The central message of Dhirendra Shastri’s appeal is that faith and safety must go together. Devotees visiting Bageshwar Dham should not depend only on their religious faith, but should also remain alert about their own security.

He has particularly advised women devotees travelling alone to come with a group or family. Visitors have also been asked to maintain distance from any suspicious person. In case of any unpleasant situation, devotees are expected to immediately inform the responsible administrative or police officers.