By Our Staff Reporter
Mukhimath (Uttarakashi)/Rishikesh, 22 Mar: The portals of Gangotri Dham will open on Akshaya Tritiya, 22 April, at 12.35 p.m. While the portals of Gangotri Dham usually mostly open on Akshaya Tritiya of the Indian calendar, every year a formal decision is taken in this regard when not only the date but the auspicious hour to open the portals is also decided based on the astrological calculations by the Gangotri Temple Committee. It usually meets in this regard on the first day of the Chaitra Navratri, which is also the first day of the Hindu Samvatsar Calendar.
A meeting was held today on this in Mukhimath Temple, which is the winter abode of Mother Ganga. President of the Temple Committee, Gangotri, and Teerth Purohit Harish Semwal and Temple Committee Secretary / Teerth Purohit Suresh Semwal formally announced the date of opening of the portals today.
Suresh Semwal declared that, on this occasion, the programme for the departure of Mother Ganga’s doli for Gangotri Dham was also fixed. It was decided that Mother Ganga’s festive Doli would depart from Mukhimath on 21 April, accompanied by the army band and reach Bhairavnath Temple in Bhairon Valley. Next day, the doli will depart for Bhairon Valley and reach Gangotri temple, its final destination, on the same day by 9:30 a.m. At 12:35 p.m., the portals of Gangotri Temple will be opened after due rituals and worship.
Temple Committee President Harish Semwal, Secretary Suresh Semwal, Treasurer Mahesh Semwal, Umesh Semwal, Mandrachal Semwal, Girish Semwal and Vasudev Semwal were present on the occasion of fixing the date of opening of the portals.
It is noteworthy here that the portals of Yamunotri Temple also open on the day of Akshaya Tritiya. On the occasion of Yamuna Jayanti, the date and time of opening of the portals will be duly announced. It may be recalled further that the portals of Badrinath Dham will open at 7.10 a.m. on 27 April, while the portals of Kedarnath Dham are scheduled to open on 25 April at 6.20 a.m. for the devotees.
