CM offers prayers at Kedarnath
By Our Staff Reporter
Kedarnath (Rudraprayag), 25 Apr: The portals of the eleventh Jyotirlinga of Kedarnath Dham opened today for darshan by devotees at 6.20 a.m. after prayers and rituals amid chanting of mantras.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was also present at the shrine at the time of opening of the portals and offered worship for the prosperity of the state. The first worship in the Kedarnath shrine was performed in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The rituals were led by Rawal Bhimashankar Linga and Pujari Shivling and the Dharmacharyas. At the time of opening of the portals, Kedarnath Dham reverberated to music played by the Army band and bhajan-kirtan by the devotees, as well as slogans “Jai Kedar”. On the instructions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, flowers were showered on the devotees from a helicopter on this occasion.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami offered prayers at Kedarnath and sought happiness and prosperity of the country and the state. He prayed to Baba Kedar for the happy life of all the people. The Chief Minister also welcomed the devotees who had arrived to have darshan of Baba Kedar on the first day of the season. He also hosted a Bhandara in the temple premises.
CM Dhami said that every possible effort has been made to make the Chardham Yatra of Uttarakhand smoother and safer. Social and voluntary organisations are also getting full cooperation for the yatra. Based on the experiences of the previous years, work has been done to improve travel arrangements. The CM appealed to the devotees to visit Baba Kedar only after updating themselves about the weather conditions, so that no one faces any inconvenience. He reminded that the Yatra is going on smoothly iatGangotri and Yamunotri Dhams. On Thursday, 27 April, the portals of Lord Badri Vishal will also be opened for the darshan of the devotees.
It may be recalled that the portals of Badrinath open only after Gangotri, Yamunotri and Kedarnath shrines every season.
Also present on this occasion were Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee President Ajendra Ajay, MLA, Kedarnath, Shaila Rani Rawat, District Panchayat President Amardei Shah, District President, BJP, Mahavir Panwar, former BJP President Dinesh Uniyal, District Magistrate Mayur Dixit, SP Suvishakha Ashok Bhadane, Chief Executive Officer, Kedarnath, Yogendra Singh and a large number of devotees.
