Uttar Pradesh: Why Samajwadi Party Is Highlighting This Upcoming Shiva Temple In Etawah

On 11 February 2024, more than 330 members of Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly visited the newly constructed Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The all-party delegation called upon by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) arrived in 10 luxury buses to offer prayers.

However, Samajwadi Party (SP) decided to not visit Ram Mandir with other legislators. Akhilesh Yadav said that SP will go to Ram Mandir on its own volition, and not with the BJP. Instead, SP took the occasion to highlight the Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple being constructed in Etawah. The temple is being built by SP chief, Akhilesh Yadav.

Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple In Etawah

The Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple is being constructed on the lines of Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand. According to a report by Amar Ujala, the temple is being constructed on about 2 acres of land on the road in front of Sitalpur village of Etawah.

A company based out of Andhra Pradesh has been handed over the responsibility of temple construction.

It is also being claimed that the Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple is being built on the same longitudinal line as the Kedarnath and Rameshwaram temples, called the 'Shiv Shakti axis' line.

An idol of Nandi Ji is being established. The height of this idol would be 10 feet and the height of the platform on which Nandi would be positioned would also be 10 feet.

The murti of the Nandi has been brought from Nepal. The Shiva linga to be established in the sanctum sanctorum will also be brought from the same country.

Eventually, a murti of Lord Shiva will be installed in the temple for worship.

Samajwadi Party Leaders Enthusiastic

On 20 January 2024, Akhilesh Yadav took to X (formerly Twitter) and shared
a 6 minutes, 54 seconds long video to apprise people of the temple’s construction. The SP president has been regularly posting updates about the temple.

On 12 February 2024, he shared a video of the arrival of a Shaligram stone that will be enshrined in the temple. A pooja ceremony was held for the Shaligram at SP headquarters in Lucknow. Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple Yadav, Jaya Bachchan and Shivpal Yadav were present at the occasion.

Second-rung leaders of the SP have also been seen promoting the temple construction. District President of SP Etawah unit Pradeep Shakya said that the temple will resonate with the purity of Kedarnath and after visiting Kedareshwar Mahadev Temple, people will get the same feeling as Kedarnath Dham.

Gopal Yadav, State Secretary of SP said that the temple has no political significance and SP does its religious works in a peaceful manner. 

Gopal Yadav's comments appear in line with the SP's apparent strategy to differentiate itself from the Congress and other INDI alliance members on the question of Ram Mandir in particular and approach towards Hindu sentiments in general.

While the Congress directly declined the invite to the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha, the SP's response was more subtle. While Akhilesh Yadav declined the invite to the Pran Pratishtha, he said he would visit the temple later as a devotee along with his family. This way neither did he attend the 22 January ceremony, nor could he be accused of refusing the temple's invite.

The Kedareshwar Mahadev temple fits in with the same approach. The SP doesn't have to be seen visiting the Ram Mandir, but can still present its leadership to be as 'Hindu' as anyone else.