By Our Staff Reporter
Jyotirmath (Joshimath), 1 Jan: The first day of the new year witnessed a huge crowd of devotees gathering at the Narsingh Temple and the Shankaracharya Gaddi Sthal in Jyotirmath. More than 350 devotees visited the temple, today, contributing to the 6,000-strong footfall recorded since the commencement of this year’s winter pilgrimage.
The Narsingh Temple, along with the Vasudev Temple and Durga Temple, holds significant spiritual importance for devotees. The Shankaracharya’s winter throne, located at Jyotirmath, contributes to the area’s religious prominence.
BKTC administrative officer Kuldeep Bhatt shared that recent snowfall in Auli has drawn more tourists to the region, many of whom have extended their visits to include the Narsingh Temple. Additionally, a growing number of pilgrims are also travelling to nearby religious sites, such as the Yoga Dhyan Badri in Pandukeshwar.
He added that this is the first year of the winter pilgrimage, and the state is already witnessing a positive response. The BKTC and the government expect even greater numbers in the coming years as the winter yatra gains popularity. Bhatt assured that food and accommodation arrangements for devotees and tourists are adequate, ensuring a comfortable experience for all.
Commenting on the development, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that people across the country are excited about the winter yatra. Due to this, a good number of people are reaching the winter gaddi sites everywhere for darshan. He added that the government is trying to ensure that the devotees do not face any kind of problem.
