Kedarnath: The Panchmukhi Utsav idol of Lord Kedarnath arrived at the Kedarnath Dham on Thursday afternoon, after a journey on foot from its third stop at Gaurikund. The doors of the shrine opened for devotees on Friday at 7 am with due rituals.
Earlier, the doors of the shrines of Mother Ganga and Mother Yamuna were opened on Wednesday. The doors of the Badrinath shrine will be opened on Sunday, May 4, at 6 am.
Devotees from all over the country and abroad have started arriving in the Kedarnath valley to catch a glimpse of Lord Kedarnath. The temple premises and surrounding areas are bustling with devotees.
The Kedarnath shrine, a major centre of the Char Dham Yatra, has been specially decorated this year with 108 quintals of flowers brought in by a team from Rishikesh and Gujarat.
Devotees are gathering to see the attractive decoration of the temple, which is adding to its divine aura.
The Rudraprayag district administration has ensured all arrangements for the historic occasion of the opening of the doors. Security, sanitation, traffic, and health services have been improved to avoid any inconvenience to the devotees. Police personnel, disaster relief teams, and medical staff have been deployed in the temple premises.
The opening of the doors of Lord Kedarnath's shrine has generated special enthusiasm among the devotees, who have come from all corners of the country. Local traders and priests are also excited, as this period is economically significant.
Vijay Prasad Thapliyal, Chief Executive Officer of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), has been monitoring the preparations since Tuesday. He held a meeting with employees on Thursday, giving instructions regarding the preparations for the opening of the doors.
