LG Sinha lays stone for Adi Shankaracharya temple, museum to boost Katra
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant (LG) Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday laid the foundation stone of Adi Shankaracharya Temple in Katra, more than five decades after the temple project was first conceived in 1967.LG Sinha, who revived the project, said that it will give a boost to pilgrim footfall in the region.
Earlier, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board approved another ambitious project of constructing an International Museum dedicated to Maa Shakti’s spiritual heritage in Katra. The project will be executed by the Asian Heritage Foundation at Natali, Katra.
The proposed Shakti Museum will be the first of its kind and would serve as a religious, educational and cultural centre. Additionally, a state-of-the-art light and sound shows will bring mythology to life through a fusion of tradition and innovation”.
During the ceremony, Manoj Sinha said that Adi Shankaracharya undertook a cross-country visit and established four mathas. “He also visited Jammu and Kashmir. A temple of Shankaracharya situated in Srinagar in Kashmir is being visited by hundreds of pilgrims.”
“Now, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, the district administration and residents have collectively decided to construct a grand temple dedicated to Adi Shankaracharya. A temple for the local deity will also be built,” he added.
Sinha said that road infrastructure will be strengthened, and “There is also a proposal to renovate the Bhoomika temple and provide improved facilities for devotees.”
According to a statement issued by the office of the LG in 2025, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) and the concerned landowners was executed to fast-track the temple construction project.
The temple will come up on 41 kanals of land donated by the landowners for the construction of a motorable access track and creation of essential pilgrim amenities, including toilets and water points, at the proposed site. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has proposed the construction of the Shri Shankaracharya Ji temple at an estimated cost of `31.51 crore.
