Badrinath Dham, May 4 (HS): The doors of the Sacred Shri Badrinath Dham were ceremoniously opened on Sunday morning, coinciding with the seventh day of Shukla Paksha in Baisakh under the Pushya Nakshatra. The event was marked by the melodious tunes of the Garhwal Scout Regiment band, and the temple resounded with the chants of Jai Badri Vishal. Helicopters showered flower petals on the attendees as over 15,000 devotees, including Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, participated in the auspicious occasion.
The rituals commenced at 4:30 AM, with Shri Kuber Ji entering the temple premises from the south door, initiating the celebrations. By 6:00 AM, the temple doors were officially opened for darshan, following the door worship at 5:30 AM led by Raval Amarnath Nambudiri and Vedic scholars. Additional deities—Mata Lakshmi, Shri Uddhav Ji, Shri Kuber Ji, and Shri Garud Ji—were also positioned in the sanctum during the ceremony, allowing devotees to witness Lord Badri Vishal’s Nirvana before the grand abhishekam was set to begin at 10:00 AM.
Last Sunday, the revered deities along with the Gadu Ghada were brought to Badrinath Dham. Local women showcased traditional dances, and bhajan sessions enriched the atmosphere as free meals were provided by generous devotees and the army, including ITBP personnel. Students from a nearby Sanskrit school also performed auspicious chants at the temple’s entrance.
Earlier, the doors of Yamunotri and Gangotri Dham were opened, followed by Kedarnath Dham on May 2. Chief Minister Dhami extended greetings to pilgrims from across the nation and urged everyone to participate in the Char Dham Yatra, expecting record numbers this year. Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj reported nearly 2.5 million registrations for the pilgrimage, emphasizing improved travel facilities.
BKTC’s new President Hemant Dwivedi assured better management for pilgrims, supported by newly appointed Vice Presidents Rishi Prasad Sati and Vijay Kaparwan. Tourism Secretary Sachin Kurve emphasized streamlined darshan processes, including registration checks and a token system.
On this auspicious occasion, several surrounding temples, including Mata Murti and Bhavishya Badri temples, also opened their doors, with notable figures from various sectors present to commemorate the event, including Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Maharaj and Vedic scholars.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
