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Portals of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath Dham open as Char Dham Yatra commences
Char Dham Yatra begins with opening of portals at Yamunotri, Gangotri, and Kedarnath amid Vedic chants on Akshay Tritiya
The Char Dham Yatra commenced on Friday with the opening of the portals of Yamunotri, Gangotri and Kedarnath Dham amid Vedic chants on the occasion of Akshay Tritiya in the Garhwal Himalayas. The shrines, decked up with flowers, saw a sea of pilgrims on the first day.
The portal of Gangotri Dham was first to open at 12:15 pm, while the portal of Yamunotri Dham opened at 12:35 pm amid chants of Jai Maa Ganga and Jai Maa Yamuna in the presence of a large number of devotees.
“All rituals were conducted strictly in accordance with traditional Vedic rites to ensure the sanctity of the opening of the portal at 12:15 pm,” secretary of the temple committee Suresh Semwal said.
Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was present at the opening ceremony alongside thousands of pilgrims who had gathered in the temple courtyard at Gangotri Dham.
“The safety and well-organised conduct of the Char Dham Yatra is a collective priority, as it is our shared goal to maintain a secure and safe yatra for pilgrims, for which all stakeholders and those associated with the Char Dham Yatra have worked with full dedication and meticulous planning,” CM Dhami said.
Extending a warm welcome to pilgrims from across India and abroad, he offered his prayers for a successful journey for all, seeking divine blessings for the prosperity and well-being of the visitors.
With the opening of the first two shrines, the administration has deployed robust measures for health services, crowd management and infrastructure.
CM Dhami reiterated the government’s commitment to making the yatra a “divine and safe” experience and urged pilgrims to follow all safety guidelines as they embark on their spiritual quest.
“With the opening of the portal, the Char Dham Yatra has officially started, and devotees can now offer prayers in the Yamunotri temple for the next six months,” spokesperson for the Yamuna temple committee Purshotam Uniyal said.
