The doors of the Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamnotri shrines will open tomorrow, with preparations for the opening of the temples in full swing. Devotees have gathered in large numbers for the first darshan. The gates of Badrinath will open on May 12.
The gates will be open at 7 am morning tomorrow. Last year, the doors of the Kedarnath shrine opened on April 25, with thousands of pilgrims braving sub-zero temperatures in the snow-covered town to offer prayers at the temple.
The doors of Gangotri and Yamunotri were opened on April 22 last year, while Badrinath opened for devotees on April 27.
The online reservation for this year’s Char Dham Yatra started on April 15. Devotees have been asked to register online to have a hassle-free pilgrimage.
You can register by going to the Department of Tourism’s website, registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in.
Situated at a height of over 11,000 feet above sea level, the Kedarnath shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva is part of the Uttarakhand Char Dham and the 11th Jyotirlinga.
The Kedarnath temple is decorated with 40 quintals of flowers this year. The pictures of the decorated temple surfaced on social media and gave a mesmerising look.
Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) President Ajendra Ajay told reporters that the flowers reached the holy temple via helicopters and the devotees are ecstatic and elated over such arrangements.
Earlier in the day, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami took to his X handle and welcomed the devotees to Kedarnath Dham.
“Hearty welcome and greetings to all the devotees in Shri Kedarnath Dham in Chardham Yatra-2024… Hail Lord Kedar!” the Chief Minister wrote.
सज गई केदारपुरी !
बाबा केदार की पावन पंचमुखी चल विग्रह उत्सव डोली का केदारनाथ धाम में हुआ आगमन..#CharDhamYatra2024 pic.twitter.com/fknqPUeVAz
— Pushkar Singh Dhami (Modi Ka Parivar) (@pushkardhami) May 9, 2024
Meanwhile, 135 vehicles carrying 4,050 Chardham pilgrims were flagged off from Rishikesh yesterday for the temples.
The Char Dham Yatra holds profound spiritual significance in Hinduism. The devotees get to chance to undertake the yatra from April-May to October-November. The temples visited by lakhs of people every year remain closed during the winter.
– With Inputs from PTI, IANS
