The sacred portals of the Badrinath temple in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district will open for devotees at 6 am on May 4.
On the occasion of Basant Panchami, the auspicious time for opening the temple was decided after special prayers were offered at the former Tehri royal court in Narendra Nagar.
After Ganesh Panchang and Chowki pujan, royal priest Acharya Krishna Prasad Uniyal decided the date for opening the doors of the Badrinath temple.
On this occasion, besides former Maharaja of Tehri Manvendra Shah, his wife, daughter Shreejaand, Tehri Lok Sabha member Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, Badrinath's chief priest Rawal Amarnath Namboodri, Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee's chief executive officer Vijay Thapliyal and several religious officials were present.
Every year after Diwali, the doors of the Char Dhams -- Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri -- are closed for the devotees. The portals reopen in April-May the following year.
During the six-month-long pilgrimage, lakhs of devotees from across the country and abroad visit the Char Dhams.