Actor and model Urvashi Rautela has sparked controversy with her recent claim that a temple near Badrinath was named after her. The remark has drawn sharp backlash from priest communities in Uttarakhand, who have now approached the Dehradun police demanding action against her.
Two prominent organizations—the Uttarakhand Char Dham Teerth Purohit Mahapanchayat and the Brahma Kapal Teerth Purohit Panchayat Samiti—have submitted separate memorandums to DGP Deepam Seth at the state police headquarters. In their complaint, they accused Rautela of hurting religious sentiments and provoking outrage among pilgrimage priests and local devotees.
The controversy stems from a widely circulated video in which Urvashi Rautela claims that the Urvashi temple, located near the sacred Badrinath Dham, was named after her. She further suggested that a similar temple should be built in her honour in South India. The priest groups have categorically rejected this claim, labeling it as false and misleading.
The memorandums assert that the Urvashi temple—a site rooted in Hindu mythology—is named after Urvashi, the celestial nymph (apsara) from ancient texts, not the actress. The organizations have called her statements a deliberate attempt to spread misinformation and draw publicity by misrepresenting a religious heritage site.
The police have acknowledged receipt of the complaints, and further action is expected following a preliminary inquiry.
