PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/ Rudraprayag
The portals of Kedarnath shrine were opened on Friday with over 12,000 pilgrims attending the ceremony. The chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was also present. Ending the six winter months’ closure, the gates of the revered temple located at a height of over 11,000 ft were opened at 7 AM. According to the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) functionaries, the shrine was adorned with 108 quintals of flowers of 54 varieties, including roses and marigolds brought from different countries like Nepal, Thailand and Sri Lanka.
It is the third temple in the Char Dham circuit to be opened with Gangotri and Yamunotri temples having opened on April 30. Badrinath portals are all set to reopen on May 4.
Meanwhile, greeting the devotees from the country and abroad on the opening of Kedarnath temple portals, the State Tourism, Religious Affairs and Culture minister Satpal Maharaj said that United India Insurance Company Limited through BKTC is providing an accident protection insurance of Rs 10 crore. Under this, the accident insurance of each Dham has been fixed at Rs 2.50 crore. He also appealed to the pilgrims to follow the government guidelines and instructions and cooperate with the local administration to make their pilgrimage safe and smooth.
