By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 1 Mar: The portals of Kedarnath Dham will be opened on 6 May at 6.25 a.m. This was decided today at a meeting held, like every year, on Mahashivratri Day. In the meeting held at the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath, which is the winter abode of the Baba Kedar, the date of opening of the portals of Kedarnath Shrine was finalised. It may be recalled that Omkareshwar Temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlingams. It is believed that the Swayambhu Shivlingams of all the 12 Jyotirlingams had appeared on the auspicious day of Mahashivratri.
The portals of Kedarnath will open on 6 May at 6.25 a.m. at ‘Amrit Bela’. Baba Kedar’s Doli will leave for Kedar Dham from Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath, on 2 May. In accordance with tradition at the Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath, the date of opening of the portals of Kedarnath on the festival of Shivratri was announced with traditional rituals along with Vedic worship in the presence of the Haq Hakukdhari (traditional rights holders), Vedpathi priests, temple committee officials and the Teerth Purohits. The dates of opening are fixed in accordance with the Indian Almanac, the Panchanga. On 2 May, the Doli of Baba Kedarnath will leave for Kedar Dham. It will reach Guptkashi on 2 May, itself, Phata on 3 May, Gaurikund on 4 May and finally it will reach Kedarnath Dham on 5 May after a night’s rest. On 6 May, at 6.25 a.m., the portals will be opened for devotees after due rituals.
Among those present at today’s meeting at Omkareshwar Temple were Rawal Bhimashankar Linga of Kedarnath, Omkareshwar Shukla, the religious officer of Kedarnath, Chairperson of Badri Kedar Temple Committee, Ajendra Ajay, Srinivas Posti, Bhaskar Dimri, officials of the temple
committee, Girish Chandra Devli, Rajkumar Nautiyal, RC Tiwari, Rakesh Semwal, Dr Harish Gaur and Kedarnath MLA Manoj Rawat.
