By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 5 May: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, today, flagged off a team of 300 sevadars of the ‘Mukhya Sevak Bhandara’ programme that is being run along with the Baba Kedarnath Doli Yatra. He did this virtually from the Uttarakhand Sadan, New Delhi. The team left from the Chief Minister’s Camp Office in Dehradun.
While extending his best wishes for the programme, the Chief Minister said that the Chardham Yatra is going to start from 10 May, which creates a festive atmosphere and is eagerly awaited by all. Organising the Bhandara has its own unique role in this sacred task, for which he extended hearty congratulations to participating youth from Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, etc., and the team leader, Himanshu Chamoli.
The Chief Minister recalled that the ‘Mukhya Sevak’ Bhandara programme, last year, was very spectacular and thousands of devotees and pilgrims were served, spreading goodwill across the nation.
The Chief Minister said that, yesterday, he held a review meeting with the officials about the Chardham Yatra as well as the forest fires that are currently taking place, which are a challenge for the state. He instructed the officials to establish coordination among themselves and create a mechanism so that the fires can be controlled as soon as possible. He also appealed to all the people of the state to give their full cooperation to saving the forests. He emphasised that this forest wealth is the state’s heritage that has to be saved at all costs.
He added that, to ensure a smooth and safe Chardham Yatra, he has reviewed the functioning of departments of drinking water, transport, electricity, health, disaster management, police, traffic, public works, etc., and has directed the officials to complete all the preparations by 10 May at any cost, so that the devotees who come here take back a good impression. He said that the Chardham Yatra is also a challenge, because every year the number of devotees is constantly increasing. This time, too, there is a lot of enthusiasm among the devotees about the Yatra. He said that on the days the doors of the Dhams will open, flowers will be showered from above by helicopters. Uttarakhand is the host and it is its responsibility to learn from the experiences of last year’s Chardham Yatra and make this year’s even better.
Before the opening of the portals, Lord Kedarnath’s Panchmukhi Bhogamurti Chal Vigraha Utsav Doli Yatra departs for its Dham from Panchkedar Gaddi site Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath. During this, a bhandara is organised by the youth of the state to make arrangements for food, etc., for all the devotees participating in the Utsav Doli Yatra. Like last year, this year also this group of youth is going to organise the ‘Mukhya Sevak Ka Bhandara’ programme’ from 5 to 10 May. All preparations have been completed to successfully complete the Bhandara in Ukhimath, Guptkashi, Phata, Gaurikund and Kedarnath. Special attention will be given to cleanliness and the environment. On the day of opening of the portals, Bhajan singers will also give performances in the temple premises.
On this occasion, Culture, Literature, Arts Council Vice President Madhu Bhatt, KK Madan, Naveen Pirshali, Dinesh Tripathi, Manish Sajwan, Subodh and a large number of devotees were also present.
