Garhwal Post Bureau
Chamoli, 22 Apr: The sacred palanquins of Lord Uddhav and Lord Kuber, representing Lord Badri Vishal and the divine treasurer of the Gods, arrived at Badrinath Dham today after their winter sojourn at Yogdhyan Badri Temple in Pandukeshwar. Their arrival infused the entire shrine area with a devotional atmosphere, as preparations for the ceremonial opening of the portals gained momentum. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is also scheduled to remain present at the time of the opening of the portals tomorrow as he reached Badrinath this afternoon from Kedarnath.
The journey of the dolis began this morning with traditional rituals, Vedic chants and the religious ceremonies at Yogdhyan Badri. The festive palanquin of Lord Badri Vishal, the seat of Adi Guru Shankaracharya, the sacred Gadu Ghada containing sesame oil, the Rawal (chief priest), along with the palanquins of Uddhav and Kuber, set out towards Badrinath in grand procession. The route witnessed an extraordinary spiritual ambience, with the Army band playing the devotional tunes, resounding chants of ‘Jai Badri Vishal’ with the devotees accompanying the sacred convoy. At key halts including Vishnuprayag, Lambagad and Hanuman Chatti, the palanquins were welcomed with traditional rituals by locals and pilgrims, while the police ensured tight security arrangements for a peaceful and orderly passage.
According to the traditions, when the portals of Badrinath close for winter, Uddhav and Kuber remain at Yogdhyan Badri in Pandukeshwar. Their return to Badrinath before the reopening of the shrine is considered an essential ritual, symbolising the continuity of divine presence and order. With their arrival, the countdown to the opening of the portals has begun, eagerly awaited by lakhs of devotees from across India and abroad.
The portals of Badrinath will be opened at 6:15 a.m. tomorrow morning in the auspicious Brahma Muhurta. The palanquin of Adi Guru Shankaracharya, accompanied by the sacred Gadu Ghada and led by Rawal Amarnath Namboodiri along with BKTC Vice-President Rishiprasad Sati, also reached Badrinath today after halting overnight at Pandukeshwar. The holy process began yesterday with the ceremonial departure of Shankaracharya’s palanquin and the Gadu Ghada from Jyotirmath to Yogdhyan Badri, where rituals were performed before proceeding to Badrinath.
CM Dhami also inspectrf ongoing construction works under the master plan later today. He will be present tomorrow to witness the historic moment when the portals of Badrinath Dham are opened, marking the formal opening of the darshan for the season.
