Dehradun: The Badrinath Dham shrine reopened for pilgrims at 7.10 am today amid chants of Vedic shlokas (hymns).
One of Uttarakhand's Char Dhams, the temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu was decorated with 15 quintals of flowers ahead of its re-opening.
There is evidence of its construction in the 7th-9th century. In the name of the temple itself, the city around it is also called Badrinath. Thousands of devotees gathered at the temple to witness the grand opening and waited to enter the shrine.
The first batch of pilgrims left Haridwar for the Chardham Yatra on Saturday and the Yatra began from Yamunotri Dham on the auspicious occasion of Akshay Tritiya.
Earlier, on Tuesday, the portals of Kedarnath Dham were opened and the first puja was performed. The puja was done by Rawal Bhimashankar Linga and Pujari Shivling and Dharmacharyas.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday said every possible effort has been made to ensure the Char Dham Yatra is easy and safe for devotees. "Every possible effort has been made to make the Char Dham Yatra of Uttarakhand easy and safe. Social organisations and voluntary organizations have also provided full cooperation for the yatra. Based on the previous years' experience, work has been done to advance the travel arrangements", the chief minister said.
He added, "Yatra is going on smoothly in Gangotri and Yamunotri Dham. On April 27, the doors of Lord Badri Vishal will also be opened for the darshan of the devotees."
On the instructions of MrDhami, flowers were showered on the devotees by helicopter. Chief Minister Dhami offered prayers at Kedarnath and wished for the happiness and prosperity of the country and the state when the doors of Kedarnath Dham were opened.
The chief minister also welcomed the devotees, who had arrived to have darshan of Baba Kedar.
He then participated in a Bhandara (food disbursal programme) organised by the Mukhya Sevak on the temple premises.