The sacred portals of Shri Kedarnath Dham were thrown open to devotees on Friday, two days after the commencement of the Char Dham Yatra. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was present at the shrine to welcome pilgrims and oversee the arrangements.
Addressing the gathering at the shrine, CM Dhami said the Char Dham Yatra began on April 30 and that the doors of Badrinath Dham would open on May 2. “Char Dham Yatra has started on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya on 30th April... Two days from today, the doors of Lord Badrinath Vishal will also open, and the yatra will start in full swing. We have tried to ensure that the journey of the devotees is safe and they do not face any kind of trouble during the journey, and for this, we have made appropriate arrangements,” he said.
The spiritual atmosphere was further elevated as flower petals were showered on devotees from a helicopter, and the Indian Army Band played devotional music for the pilgrims.
Speaking on the nation’s current challenges, CM Dhami said prayers were also offered in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking divine strength to combat terrorism and separatism.
“Today, we have also done puja here in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Today, issues like terrorism and separatism, which are in front of us, Baba will give strength to our Prime Minister and the enemies, demons who did such an incident in Pahalgam will be finished,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Panchmukhi Doli of Lord Kedarnath arrived at the temple on Thursday. Echoes of ‘Jai Baba Kedar’ filled the Kedar Valley as the idol made its way to the temple from Gaurikund.
Sharing the moment on social media, the chief minister posted, “Today, after the ritualistic worship at Gaurikund, the Panchmukhi idol of Baba Kedarnath reached the holy Shri Kedar Dham. When the Doli reached the temple premises, there was an atmosphere of devotion among the devotees, the entire Dham echoed with the chanting of 'Jai Baba Kedar'.”
The state government has made extensive preparations to ensure a smooth and safe pilgrimage experience for thousands of devotees expected to arrive in the coming weeks.