Uttarakhand: Kedarnath temple re-open amid COVID-19 protocol

Kedarnath temple is located in the state of Uttarakhand, India. The famous temple was closed last year on November 16. On May 14, the idol of Lord Shiva was moved out of its winter abode at Ukhimath’s Omkareshwar temple. On Monday, the temple was reopened at 5 am today with all the rituals amidst strict Coronavirus protocol.

The government has said that only rituals will be allowed to be performed and no pilgrims will be allowed. The authorities of the Char Dham Devasthanam Board have made necessary preparations for the virtual visit.

News agency ANI tweeted: “Uttarakhand | Portals of Kedarnath temple open; visuals from the opening ceremony that was held at 5 am today”

Uttarakhand | Portals of Kedarnath temple open; visuals from the opening ceremony that was held at 5 am today pic.twitter.com/PmgqbsgQ8u

— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2021

Here’s a visual of the opening ceremony of the Kedarnath temple.  On this occasion, the shrine was decorated with 11 quintal flowers.

#WATCH | Opening ceremony of portals of Kedarnath temple, Uttarakhand pic.twitter.com/qW3XiCjDjV

— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2021

Uttarakhand chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat tweeted in Hindi: “The doors of the world famous eleventh Jyotirlinga Lord Kedarnath Dham were opened today at 5 am on Monday after rituals and rituals. The temple was inaugurated on the auspicious coincidence of Aries ascendant. I pray to Baba Kedarnath to keep everyone healthy.”

“The Rawal (Chief Priest) of Kedarnath, under the leadership of the venerable Shri Bhimashankar Lingam ji, will regularly offer prayers to Baba Kedar in a limited number of shrines in the temple. I request that during this time of epidemic, devotees should stay in the house and perform rituals and religious rituals,” he wrote.

केदारनाथ के रावल (मुख्य पुजारी) आदरणीय श्री भीमाशंकर लिंगम् जी की अगुवाई में तीर्थ पुरोहित सीमित संख्या में मंदिर में बाबा केदार की पूजा-अर्चना नियमित रूप से करेंगे। मेरा अनुरोध है कि महामारी के इस दौर में श्रद्धालु घर में रहकर ही पूजा-पाठ और धार्मिक परंपराओं का निर्वहन करें।

— Tirath Singh Rawat (@TIRATHSRAWAT) May 17, 2021

The portals of the four famous Himalayan shrines — Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri are opened every year between April and May after a six-month shut down during which they remain snowbound.

The portals of Badrinath temple will reopen on ‘Brahmamuhurta’ at 4.15 am on May 18.

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