Uttarakhand: Panchmukhi Doli reaches Kedarnath Dham; doors set to open tomorrow

Rudraprayag (Uttarakhand) [India], May 1 (ANI): As the doors of Kedarnath Dham set to open on May 2, the Panchmukhi Doli of Lord Kedarnath reached Shri Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand on Thursday, accompanied by chants of 'Jai Baba Kedar' that echoed through the Kedar valley.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami shared in a post on X that the sacred procession from Gaurikund to Kedarnath was marked by "reverence, faith, and devotion."
"Today, after the ritualistic worship at Gaurikund, the Panchmukhi idol of Baba Kedarnath reached the holy Shri Kedar Dham. When the Doli reached the temple premises, there was an atmosphere of devotion among the devotees, the entire Dham echoed with the chanting of 'Jai Baba Kedar'," CM Dhami posted on X.

Devotees arriving at Kedarnath ahead of the opening of the shrine's doors were visibly emotional.
They bowed down to Devbhoomi after seeing the beauty of the Kedarnath Valley, its cultural prosperity, and the mountains covered with snow peaks.
Many praised the arrangements made by the government for the pilgrimage.
Sunny Kumar from Bangalore, visiting Kedarnath for the first time, said, "The entire track has been kept clean, special attention has also been paid to crowd management."
Shubham from Mathura appreciated the availability of water and other facilities along the route.
Vikas from Uttar Pradesh, a regular pilgrim for the past four years, said the Bhandara (free community meals) arrangements were also commendable. "I thank the state government for the good arrangements," he added.
Mukesh Kumar from Noida described Kedarghati as wonderful and thanked Chief Minister Dhami, saying that special attention has also been taken to security in the Kedarnath complex.
Dilkush from Rajasthan, who has been in Kedarnath for 10 days, said, "Roads are better than before, development work is progressing fast, and I urge others to visit Kedarnath."
Rahul from Agra, a regular visitor for the last seven years, said, "Every year the arrangements are improving. The government is doing a great job."
Superintendent of Police Akshay Prahlad Konde assured that devotees' safety is the top priority.
"This yatra is on such a large scale that our priority is the safety and security of the devotees... Proper security forces have been deployed for both security and management purposes," the SP said.
CEO of the Badri Kedar Temple Committee, Vilay Thapliyal, said, "Tomorrow is an auspicious day when the doors of Baba Kedarnath Dham will be opened. We have made grand preparations this time."
The Lord Kedarnath temple is being adorned with 13 quintals of flowers as the doors of Kedarnath Dham. The temple doors will open to devotees on May 2 at 7.00 am.
Moreover, the helicopter service for the 2025 Shri Kedarnath Dham Yatra commenced from Sonprayag in Uttarakhand, offering a convenient travel option for pilgrims.
Pawan Rana, a helicopter operator, said, "Online tickets are available on IRCTC, while offline tickets can be obtained through the District Magistrate or Sector Magistrate. We operate around 20 to 30 shuttles daily, serving over 150 pilgrims."
Rana also mentioned that around 150 online bookings are made daily, and advance booking is open for a month.
The Char Dham Yatra 2025 officially began on April 30, with the doors of Gangotri and Yamunotri Dham opening on Akshaya Tritiya amid Vedic chants and rituals.
Helicopters showered flowers over devotees at the twin Dhams.
The doors of Shri Badrinath temple are scheduled to open on May 4. So far, over 22 lakh pilgrims have registered at the Rishikesh Transit Camp for the sacred journey. (ANI)