Amid rituals and ceremonial chants, the portals of Baba Kedarnath Dham, revered as one of the country’s oldest pilgrimage sites, were flung open on Friday.
The shrine, believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva, was bedecked with 40 quintals of petals ahead of the opening ceremony.
As the rituals commenced, helicopters flying overhead showered petals on the sanctum. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, along with his wife Geeta Dhami, were also present on the occasion.
While the doors of Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri opened on Friday, marking the auspicious occasion of Akshay Tritiya, Badrinath Dham will open on May 12.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of devotees embark on a spiritual journey to Kedarnath.
The Char Dham Yatra is of profound spiritual importance for Hindus. This sacred pilgrimage starts from Yamunotri, moves through Gangotri, Kedarnath, and culminates at Badrinath.