Char Dham Yatra begins

By Kamal Panwar

2024-05-11

The Yamunotri, Gangotri and Kedarnath Dham shrines witnessed a huge rush of pilgrims as they opened their doors for the annual Char Dham Yatra amid Vedic chants on the occasion of Akshay Tritiya in Garhwal Himalayas on Friday. The yatra officially began with the opening of the portal of Kedarnath Dham shrine at 7 am amid the beating of traditional drums and Vedic prayers by temple priests headed by Rawal (head priest) Bhima Shankar Ling and Shiv Shankar Ling Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami with his wife Geeta Dhami were present during the opening of the portals at Kedar- nath Dham. He offered prayers there and prayed for the welfare and prosperity of the people in the state. He said, "Char Dham Yatra this year will create a new record. State government is committed to provide safe and hassle-free yatra to the pilgrims. Over 7,000 devotees wit nessed the opening of the portals Over 7,000 devotees witnessed the opening of the portals at Kedarnath Dham temple. at Kedarnath Dham temple. Dur ing the opening of the portals, the pilgrims were showered with flower petals from a helicopter. Badrinath Kedarnath temple committee media in-charge Har ish Gaur said: "The Panchmukhi Utsav Doli (Palanquin) carrying the idol of Lord Kedarnath, which started its journey from the Omkareshwar temple in Ukhimath and reached Kedar- nath shrine on Thursday even- ing. It was reinstalled in the tem- ple, amid prayers and special rit- uals that began at 4am on Friday HT by Rawal Dharmacharya and priests after which the portals of Kedarnath temple were opened at 7 am for the devotees who had lined up for darshan since early morning." The portals of Yamunotri shrine, the holy abode of God- dess Yamuna in Uttarkashi dis- trict opened for devotees at 10.29 am on Friday, said the officials. The idol of Lord Shani Dev, brother of Goddess Yamuna led the procession from Khushi- math in Kharsali to Yamunotri shrine, the temple priest's com- mittee officials said. Yamunotri temple committee secretary Purshotam Uniyal said: "The prayers were offered at Yamuna temple in Kharsali after which the Doll of Goddess Yamuna was sent off to its sum- mer abode in Yamunotri where the prayers were offered and after the traditional rituals, the portals were opened at 10.29am amid the chants of Yamuna Mayya ki Jal." Himesh Bhai (35), a pilgrim from Ahmedabad in Gujarat, sald: "We are blessed to get the darshan of the Yamuna Devi on the opening day of the yatra and with this, our Char Dham Yatra has begun." The portals of Shri Tungnath temple, the prestigious third Kedar temple among five Kedar temples (Panchkedar) in Rudra- prayag district opened amid the traditional Vedic mantras chants at 12 noon Friday. The portals of Gangotri Dham were opened at 12.25 pm after the Doli of Goddess Ganga reached the shrine from Bhairav Nath temple in Bhairav Ghati, said the Gangotri temple priest committee officials.