CM Dhami along with his wife offers prayers at Kedarnath
PrashantNews
Amidst the loud chants of “Har Har Mahadev”, “Jai Ma Yamuna” and “Jai Ma Gange”, the Chardham Yatra began on Friday as the portals of Kedarnath, Yamunotri and Gangotri shrines in Uttarakhand were reopened on the auspicious occasion of Akshay Tritiya.
The portals of the Chardham shrines comprising Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri remained closed for nearly six months during the winter period.
A large number of people gathered at Kedarnath with the military bands playing religious tunes as the idols of Lord Shiva were taken in a palanquin inside the sanctum sanctorum after the doors were reopened at 7 AM. The priests chanted vedic hymns to perform puja.
A helicopter showered petals on the pilgrims at Kedarnath when the portals were reopened.
The portals of Yamunotri were reopened at 10.29 AM while the Gangotri temple was reopened at 12.25 PM in the noon. The Badrinath shrine will be thrown open for pilgrims on May 12.
A large number of people were gathered at both Yamunotri and Gangotri shrines when the doors were opened as per traditions.
As per long established customs, the portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri are reopened on Akshay Tritiya every year but this time it was a rare occasion that the portals of Kedarnath were also reopened on the same day.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami along with his wife Geeta was among the first persons to offer prayers at the Kedarnath temple.
Flanked by snowcapped mountains, Kedarnath shrine is located at a height of 11755 feet in the Garhwal Himalayas in Rudraprayag district. Significantly, Kedarnath temple remained intact when a deluge hit the area in June 2013 that brought extensive destruction. More than 5000 people had lost their lives in the deluge. The deluge had occurred due to the bursting of the Chorabari lake.