Char Dham Yatra 2024: The Char Dham Yatra of Uttarakhand commenced on Friday, on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, at 7 AM. The doors of one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, Shri Kedarnath Dham were opened with full rituals and Vedic chanting. The doors of Kedarnath Dham were thrown open to devotees after six months on Friday. In a video shared by news agency ANI, the devotees can be heard chanting 'Har Har Mahadev'.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and his wife Geeta Dhami were present for the darshan of Baba Kedarnath at the time of the opening of the temple doors.
Flowers were showered from helicopters as the doors of Shri Kedarnath Dham opened for the devotees.
Kedarnath is one of the most revered temples in the country dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva. It draws several devotees and visitors from across the country and beyond during the six months that it stays open.
Ahead of the ceremonial opening of one of the country's holiest places of worship, the abode of Lord Shiva was decorated with 40 quintals of petals.
Devotees had already started to arrive after Panchmukhi Doli of Lord Kedarnath left Phata on Wednesday. Ahead of the yatra, Swami Chidanand Muni, Paramadhyaksh of the Parmarth Niketan of Rishikesh, hoped that pilgrims would visit the Char Dham in record numbers.
"Uttarakhand has both 'Switzerland' and spiritual land. The state has Ganga as well as the Himalayas. This land gives inner power, spiritual energy and joy to mankind. That's why people come here. I believe this year will break the record set last year. Credit for this goes to PM Modi and Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami," he said.