Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand)19 April. The doors of Gangotri Dham were opened for the devotees on the festival of Akshaya Tritiya on Sunday with Vedic chanting, religious rituals and chants of Jai Maa Gange. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami himself witnessed this divine moment.
CM Dhami offered prayers at Shri Gangotri Dham. With this the gates of the temple were formally opened, marking the beginning of the annual Chardham Yatra. At the same time, the gates of Yamunotri Dham were also opened for the devotees. Both the shrines were decorated with flowers. Authorities had made elaborate security arrangements to handle the rush of pilgrims.
Thousands of pilgrims were present in the temple premises at the fixed time when the doors of Gangotri Dham opened at 12.15 pm. During this, the entire Gangotri Dham echoed with the chants of ‘Har Har Gange’ and ‘Maa Ganga ki Jai’. During this time, flowers were also showered on the devotees present in the Dham from the helicopter.
The occasion was celebrated with great pomp, in which the entire atmosphere resonated with the melodious sound of traditional instruments like Dhol Damau and Ranasingha. The Garhwal Rifles Band also participated, adding a ceremonial touch to the celebrations while welcoming the goddess to her summer residence. A large number of devotees, priests, sadhus and officials participated in the procession, underscoring the collective faith and unity associated with the pilgrimage.
‘Doli’ of Lord Kedarnath leaves
Meanwhile, the ceremonial ‘doli’ of Lord Kedarnath was flagged off from the Omkareshwar temple on Sunday, signaling the beginning of his annual pilgrimage to Kedarnath Dham located in the Himalayas. The Panchmukhi idol of Lord Kedarnath, which resides at its winter abode in Ukhimath, was taken out in a grand procession accompanied by Vedic mantras, devotional music and enthusiastic participation of devotees.
The temple complex was lavishly decorated with flowers, around eight quintals of flowers were used to enhance the spiritual atmosphere. Devotees also organize community feast or bhandara as part of the festivities. The Garhwal Rifles played a prominent ceremonial role during the procession, blending military tradition with long-standing religious rituals.
The doors of Kedarnath and Badrinath Dham will open on 22 and 23 April.
As per the schedule, the doli will stop at FATA for the first night and leave for Gaurikund on Monday. It is expected to reach Kedarnath Dham on April 21, where the idol will be installed in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. The gates of Kedarnath temple are scheduled to open with full Vedic rituals at 8 am on April 22, after which the gates of Badrinath Dham will also open on April 23. Thousands of devotees from across the country have gathered for this pilgrimage, which highlights the deep religious and cultural significance of the Char Dham Yatra.
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