Kedarnath Dham portals to open on April 22 for devotees

Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district will reopen on April 22 at 8 am, marking the start of the 2026 Char Dham Yatra season

Published on: Feb 15, 2026, 18:29:18 IST

By Neeraj Santoshi

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Mussoorie: The portals of Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district will be opened for devotees on April 22 at 8 am, marking the beginning of this year’s Char Dham Yatra season, officials of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) announced on Sunday.

Located at a height of nearly 3,500 metres above sea level, Kedarnath Temple is situated near the Mandakini River in Rudraprayag district (ANI)

The date was declared at the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath, following Maha Shivratri celebration.

BKTC chairman Hemant Dwivedi extended greetings to devotees in India and abroad and said preparations for the upcoming pilgrimage season would now be expedited. “The portals of Shri Badrinath Dham will open on April 23, and with the date for Shri Kedarnath Dham now fixed at April 22, BKTC will accelerate its Yatra preparations,” he said.

BKTC chief executive officer (CEO) Vijay Prasad Thapliyal said inspections of guest houses and offices have already begun. “The temple committee has completed the primary Yatra preparations,” he said, adding that logistical arrangements are being streamlined ahead of the shrine’s reopening.

The schedule for the Panchmukhi Doli (five-faced idol of Lord Shiva) procession was also announced. Ritual worship of Bhairavnath will be completed at Ukhimath on April 18. The Doli will depart from Omkareshwar Temple for Phata on April 19, halt at Gaurikund on April 20, and reach Kedarnath Dham on April 21, a day before Kedarnath temple doors open to pilgrims.

The ceremony was attended by Kedarnath Rawal (priest) Bhimashankar Ling, Kedarnath MLA Asha Nautiyal, and vice-chairman Vijay Kaprawan, along with religious scholars and public representatives.

For the 2026 pilgrimage season, MT Gangadhar will assume charge as the chief priest at Kedarnath Dham. Shivshankar Ling will oversee worship arrangements for Shri Madmaheshwar Dham at Omkareshwar Temple, while Bagesh Ling will serve as an additional priest, BKTC officials said.

Located at a height of nearly 3,500 metres above sea level, Kedarnath Temple is situated near the Mandakini River in Rudraprayag district. The Char Dham shrines remain shut for around six months every year, opening in summer (April or May) and closing with the onset of winter (October or November).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj Santoshi
Neeraj Santoshi is the Chief of Bureau for Hindustan Times in Uttarakhand, where he leads the state reporting team while covering government, politics, environment, wildlife, Uttarakhand High Court, and issues shaping the Himalayan region. With more than two decades in journalism across conflict zones, he has covered politically sensitive regions and environmentally fragile landscapes, and focused on stories that combine public interest with in-depth storytelling. An alumnus of Pune University with a Master’s in Communication Studies, he has reported extensively from Jammu & Kashmir (2003-2010), Madhya Pradesh (2010 to 2018 ) and Uttarakhand (Since 2018), covering subjects ranging from insurgency, elections and governance to wildlife conservation, mining, climate change, agriculture, human rights and social justice. He has covered politics and legislative assemblies of both Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh over more than a decade. Before taking over as Chief of Bureau in Uttarakhand, he served as Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in Madhya Pradesh and earlier reported for both Hindustan Times and The Indian Express in Jammu & Kashmir, where he covered state politics, environment and insurgency-related developments. Over the years, his stories have focused on environmental degradation, wildlife, illegal mining, governance and the changing social fabric of Himalayan states and Central India. He is particularly interested in long-form explanatory journalism, and stories that explore the intersection of ecology, conservation, governance and society. Outside the newsroom, Neeraj enjoys reading widely on neuroscience, consciousness studies, Artificial Intelligence and quantum physics, with a special interest in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivist traditions. He is also passionate about wildlife, mountaineering and the Himalayas, interests that continue to inform his reporting and deepen his understanding of the region he covers.Read More

Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk Hunger Strike LIVE and more across India.