Shri Kedarnath Dham Opens With Full Rituals And Vedic Chanting 

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, along with his wife Geeta Dhami, present for the darshan of Baba Kedarnath at the time of the opening of the temple doors.

10 May 2024

By Khushi Maheshwari 

On the auspicious festival of Akshay Tritiya on Friday, the doors of Kedarnath Dham, one of Lord Shiva’s twelve Jyotirlingas, were opened for pilgrims. Along with many pilgrims from all around the country, Pushkar Singh Dhami, the chief minister of Uttarakhand, presided over the ceremonial opening. The temple reopened its doors to devotees after being closed for the winter.

Adorned with flowers dropped from helicopters above, devotees waited with patience in queues to get a glimpse of the deity. The gates of the Yamunotri temple too were opened at the same time, followed by gates of the Gangotri temple at 12:20. Both places are the holy origins of rivers Yamuna and Ganga respectively. As the ritual took place, the air was filled with bhajans and loud chanting of “Har Har Mahadev.” On 12th May, at 6:00 am, the hallowed Badrinath Dham—which is regarded as Lord Vishnu’s earthly residence—will open.

At the reopening of Kedarnath Dham, CM Dhami and his spouse Geeta Dhami chanted prayers. Earlier that Friday, he had sent his best greetings to other visiting disciples.

The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee decorated Lord Shiva’s residence with twenty quintals of flowers before the temple’s official opening. The five-faced idol of Baba Kedar, the Panchmukhi Doli, arrived at Kedarnath Dham on Thursday at 4:45 p.m. to the sound of Army Band songs and traditional drum beats. Every year, before the temple is opened to devotees, volunteers from the BKTC carry the idol for worship, following the practice of going barefoot. At Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, the 3,500-metre-high Kedarnath Temple commands a view of the Mandakini River.

The Indian Meteorological Department in Dehradun has predicted favourable weather for pilgrims visiting Char-Dham, allaying worries that severe weather may cause disruptions. Light to moderate rainfall forecasts provided a reprieve from the heat and forest fires. Travel was momentarily stopped by rain, but district teams and early warnings worked to reduce the hazards. Real-time meteorological updates were made possible by sophisticated technology, such as API integration on travel portals. Routes were observed by sector officers to provide security.

Those who want to book a trip to Kedarnath can visit the official website for comprehensive details like puja timings, helicopter bookings and more.