kedarnath dham Archives - Lokmarg

Kedarnath Dham Portals To Open On April 25

By LokMarg 18th February 2023

The Kedarnath Temple Committee on the occasion of Maha Shivratri announced that the portals or doors of Shri Kedarnath Dham, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, will open on April 25, 2023.

Announcing the dates on the occasion of Shivratri, Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee President Ajendra Ajay said the portals of Shri Kedarnath Dham will open this year on Tuesday, April 25, at 6.20 am for the devotees to visit.

“While Bhairavnath ji will be worshipped on April 20 and Lord Kedarnath’s Panchmukhi Doli will leave for Kedarnath on Friday, April 21. On this day Panchmukhi Doli Vishwanath Temple Guptkashi will rest. Doli will reach Phata on 22nd April for a night’s rest,” he added.

Sharing the details of the schedule, Ajay informed that on April 23, Panchmukhi Doli will reach Gaurikund for a night’s rest from Phata. On April 24, Panchmukhi Doli will reach Kedarnath Dham from Gaurikund and on Tuesday, April 25, at 6.20 am, the doors of Shri Kedarnath Dham will open for devotees to visit.

The date of opening of the portals was declared according to the rules and regulations after Panchang calculation in a religious function organized at Shri Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath.

On this occasion, Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee President Ajendra Ajay, Chief Executive Officer Yogendra Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Prabodh Kumar Ghildiyal, Kedar Ling, Committee members Niwas Posti, Virendra Bartwal, Pushkar Joshi, Ashutosh Dimri, Panchgai along with right holders. In the presence of Kedarnath Teerth Purohit Samaj and devotees, local administration, Acharya Vedpathis fixed the date for the opening of the portals of Shri Kedarnath Dham.

It is notable that the portals of Badrinath Dham are opening on Thursday, April 27 this year. While traditionally the doors of Gangotri-Yamunotri Dham open on Akshaya Tritiya, this year Akshaya Tritiya is on 22 April. In the month of Chait, Gangotri-Yamunotri temple committees will formally announce the dates of opening of the doors.

The Badrinath Dham is one of the four ancient pilgrimage sites referred to as ‘Char Dham’ which also included Yamunotri, Gangotri and Kedarnath. It is situated in the town of Badrinath in Uttarakhand. It remains open for six months every year (between the end of April and the beginning of November). (ANI)

Kedarnath Temple Wrapped Under Heavy Snow Blanket

By LokMarg 30th January 2023

Kedarnath Dham got wrapped in a blanket of snow after receiving snowfall, officials informed on Monday.

Snow has accumulated up to 4 feet. There has been continuous snowfall in the Kedarnath region since Sunday night. Heavy snow can be witnessed on the premises of the Dham and on the surrounding hills, they said.
Meanwhile, the Uttarkashi Police in the state issued an advisory for the citizens, alerting them to travel with caution through the various highways.

The Uttarkashi Police in a tweet said, “Due to rain and snowfall, the Gangotri National Highway is obstructed above Sukki Top due to debris coming near Dharasu band and Bandarkot. The Yamunotri National Highway is blocked above Jankichatti and Radi Top. Roads are blocked in other places as well. Please travel with caution.”

Notably, the doors of Kedarnath Dham will open on April 26 and those of Gangotri and Yamunotri will open on April 22, after winter break, informed the temple committee on January 27.

The doors of Shri Badrinath Dham will open the following day, on April 27.

Preparations for the ‘Char Dham Yatra’ also started as soon as the date of opening of the doors of Kedarnath, Yamunotri and Gangotri was fixed.

The shrine is one of the four ancient pilgrimage sites referred to as ‘Char Dham’ which also includes Yamunotri, Gangotri and Badrinath. (ANI)

Priests’ Worry Over Gold Decor At Kedarnath, Dhami Enhances Security

By LokMarg 4th November 2022

After carrying out gold layering work at the sanctum sanctorum of Kedarnath Temple, the state government is now going to increase security arrangements at the temple premises.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday issued a directive in this regard.
CM Dhami said that he has given instructions to the Chief Secretary and Additional Secretary Home of the state to increase the security of the Kedarnath temple complex.

“The walls and ceiling of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple have been decorated with gold layers, that is why he has given instructions to make the security of the temple premises tight and tight,” Dhami said while speaking to ANI.

The announcement comes after the priests at Kedarnath temple and local authorities wrote to the state government and requested to increase security at the temple in view of the upgraded and expensive gold decoration.

Reportedly, around 230kg of gold was used in the decoration work.

As per the temple committee officials, the walls and ceiling of the sanctum sanctorum of Kedarnath Dham have been given a new look and decorated with 550 gold layers by 19 artisans in 3 days, a total of 18 horse mules were used to transport the gold.

However, the security arrangements at the temple were reportedly not increased in accordance with the upgraded decoration.

A six-member team from IIT Roorkee, Central Building Research Roorkee, and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had earlier visited Kedarnath Dham and inspected the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.

And the work of applying golf lining in the sanctum sanctorum of Kedarnath temple was taken up only after a report from the experts.

The work of applying gold layers was taken up by 19 artisans under the supervision of two ASI officials, Shri Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee President Ajendra Ajay had told ANI earlier. (ANI)