Uttarakhand government postpones Chardham Yatra; portals to open on time
The Uttarakhand government has taken a big decision amid the growing cases of Corona cases in the country. Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat has postponed the Chardham Yatra, though the shrines of the temples will be opened as per the earlier decided dates. Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath Dham open for the pilgrims in May. Earlier it was decided to postpone opening of Hemkund Sahib for the general public.
A meeting was called by Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat on Thursday for the Chardham Yatra, in which Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj was also present. In this meeting, it was decided to postpone the Chardham Yatra in 2021 in view of the increasing cases of corona infection. There will be prayers and rituals in the temples, but no devotees will be allowed to visit.
The date for opening the doors of the Chardhams in Uttarakhand has been announced. The doors of Gangotri Dham, located in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, will open on 15 May.The Utsav Doli will leave for Gangotri Dham on May 14 at 11:45 am from its winter sojourn Mukhaba village to open the doors of the holy dham. On the occasion of Chaitra Navratri, Gangotri Tirtha priests declared the auspicious time to open the doors of Gangotri temple.
The portals of the world famous Kedarnath Dham will be opened on 17 May. Kedarnath Rawal has announced the Panchakedar Gaddi site at Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath. According to the ancient tradition, every year on the day of Mahashivaratri, the opening day of the Kedarnath shrine in Omkareshwar temple Ukhimath is taken out. Baba Kedar’s Deity Doli will first start from Ukhimath and arrive at Fata on 14 May. It will reach Gaurikund on May 15 and will reach Kedarnath on May 16, where the doors of the Lord Kedarnath temple will be opened at 5 am on May 17.
The doors of Chardham, including Kedarnath, are closed every year in October-November in winter, which are then opened again in April-May next year for devotees. The Badrinath Dham located in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand will open to devotees on May 18 this year. The Muhurta to open the Badrinath temple was taken out on the occasion of Basant Panchami in a ceremony held in the court of the Tehri dynasty at Narendranagar. Whereas, the Yamunotri Dham kapat will be opened on 14 May.
