Uttarakhand: CM Dhami and Governor Gurmeet Singh flag off first batch of pilgrims for Hemkund Sahib Yatra

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], May 22 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Governor, Lieutenant General (Retd) Gurmeet Singh, on Thursday, flagged off the first batch of pilgrims going to Hemkund Sahib Yatra led by the Panj Pyaras from Rishikesh, Uttarakhand.
During the event, the chief minister and the governor congratulated the first batch of Sangats and wished them a smooth, safe journey.
The governor said that the journey to Hemkund Sahib is a symbol of faith, devotion and belief. The difficult journey of about 18 kilometres to this pilgrimage located at an altitude of 15,000 ft is a test of every devotee's patience, courage and faith.
Recalling the contribution of Sikh Gurus, Governor Singh remarked that "self-respect, courage, sacrifice, hard work and service" are the fundamental pillars of the Sikh tradition.
The Governor also said that the government is constantly striving to make the Hemkund Sahib Yatra simpler, easier and safer. He appreciated the preparations made by the administration and the Gurudwara Management Committee on the Yatra routes and appealed to all the devotees to adopt plastic-free travel and promote the 'Vocal for Local' campaign by prioritising local products.
Additionally Governor thanked the Gurudwara Management Committee, sevadars, administrative officers, and security forces associated with the Yatra organisation for their continuous efforts and wished the Yatra success.
While speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the Yatra of Hemkund Sahib is a unique confluence of religious and spiritual culture of the state of Uttarakhand. Hemkund Sahib is the centre of faith of the Sikh community. This land is still the centre of divine energy. Every devotee experiences spiritual peace and new consciousness by visiting Hemkund Sahib.
CM Dhami said that despite the difficult terrain and weather, thousands of devotees participate in this Yatra every year. So far, more than 60 thousand devotees have registered for Hemkund Sahib. Also, more than 30 lakh devotees have registered for the Char Dham Yatra.
The Chief Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state government is making the Hemkund Sahib Yatra simple and easy. In the coming days, this journey will be completed in a very short time. He said that the state government has constructed a valley bridge at Govindghat for a smooth journey, and a permanent bridge will soon be constructed. For the convenience of travellers, railings, signboards, medical camps, drinking water, and hot water have also been arranged on the travel route. He wished all the devotees going on the Yatra.
During the program, an upgraded version of the AI-powered chatbot 'Eternal Guru' was also demonstrated. This chatbot is based on Gurbani, which can convey the spiritual guidance and teachings of Guru Granth Sahib to the people through technology. Uttarakhand Technical University has developed this chatbot in collaboration with Hemkund Sahib Management Trust. (ANI)