Chhatarpur: In a strong statement targeting local hotel operators, Bageshwar Dham’s head priest Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, popularly known as Bageshwar Baba, highlighted how the religious site’s popularity has significantly boosted the hospitality business—but not always with fairness.
During the seventh mass wedding festival at Bageshwar Dham, attended by around 300 brides, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav announced plans to expand the initiative to 3,000 brides, with each bride receiving financial support of ₹51,000 from the state government.
Bageshwar Baba pointed out that hotels in the area benefit immensely from the influx of devotees attracted by the dham and his image, yet when he or other dharmic representatives visit, they are charged full commercial rates. “I am not asking for free services,” he said. “But if a business flourishes due to a religious site, it should give back to society.”
He made a heartfelt appeal to hotel owners, suggesting that each hotel sponsor at least one girl’s wedding or assist with marriage arrangements. “This is not to create controversy, but to promote collective social responsibility,” he added.
Acknowledging the dham’s influence on local commerce, Bhagwat Sharan Agrawal, President of the Chhatarpur Hotel Management Association, said the pilgrimage significantly boosts tourism and business. Chhatarpur has about 85 hotels, and occupancy rises to 80–90% when the Baba is present, benefiting not only hoteliers but also taxi drivers, shopkeepers, and other service providers.
Agrawal clarified that hotels do contribute to mass wedding programs, sometimes offering one or two rooms free of charge. He noted that the establishments Bageshwar Baba referred to were not in Chhatarpur but in Khajuraho.
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