Kedarnath portals to open tomorrow, huge crowd of devotees head for shrine

Rudraprayag (Uttarakhand) [India], May 9 (ANI): The portals of Baba Kedarnath Dham are all set for a grand opening on Friday, after a gap of six months.
Amid the preparations for opening the portals, popular tourist sites such as Sonprayag and Gaurikund are drawing huge crowds, with the majority of them heading in the direction of the Kedarnath Dham.
A significant count of pilgrims gathered in Gaurikund, waiting for their turn to book rides on horses or mules while several others were spotted heading towards the shrine on foot.
Preparations began earlier for the ceremonial opening of the portals of Kedarnath Dham through worship and the chanting of mantras.
According to the president of the Badrinath-Kedarnath temple Committee, the temple has been decorated with 40 quintals of flowers.
Earlier, Lord Kedarnath's Panchmukhi Doli departed for Kedarnath Dham from its third stop Gauramai Temple in Gaurikund.
On May 6, the Devdoli reached Shri Omkareshwar Temple Ukhimath from Shri Vishwanath Temple Guptkashi for its stay and reached its second stop Phata the day after, on May 7.
This year, the Char Dham Yatra will begin on May 10, with the opening of three of the four shrines--Gangotri, Yamunotri, and Kedarnath. The portals of the Badrinath Dham will open on May 12.
The Char Dham Yatra holds profound spiritual significance for Hindus and the pilgrimage takes place from April-May to October-November. (ANI)