Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reached Shri Badrinath Dham on Saturday evening and visited the Mana Pass, India, and Tibet border and encouraged the soldiers deployed there.
"The festival of Raksha Bandhan was celebrated with great pomp at Badrinath Dham. Devotees offered Raksha Sutra to Lord Badri Vishal," Media in-charge of Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee Harish Gaur told ANI on Thursday.
Priests, temple authorities, and pilgrims from far and wide celebrated Independence Day at the holy shrine in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district with nationalist zeal and enthusiasm.
Legendary actor Rajinikanth, who had arrived in Badrinath Dham, offered prayers to Lord Badri Vishal. Rajinikanth also attended Lord Badri Vishal's evening aarti.
A part of Badrinath National Highway (NH-7) has been washed away due to the rise in the water level of the Lambagad drain owing to the heavy showers since late Friday night in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, officials said on Saturday.
Traffic was affected after a 70-metre stretch of the National Highway was damaged due to rainfall near Gauchar town in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand on Monday, officials said.
Boards are put up in several places of the temple premises which read, 'Do not enter the temple premises with mobile phones; any kind of photography and videography is strictly prohibited inside the temple and you are under the surveillance of CCTV cameras'.
"The work on Prime Minister's ambitious project Bardinath Master Plan is going on at a fast pace. After the completion of all the works of this project, Badrinath Dham will look even more divine and grand, and the devotees coming here will get better facilities," Bhaskar Khulbe said.
"Till Friday, 2922 VIP devotees reached Kedarnath Dham for darshan, from which an income of Rs 8,76,600 was generated. Similarly, 5319 VIP pilgrims have so far travelled to Badrinath Dham, from which an income of Rs 15,95,700 was generated," BKTC President Ajendra Ajay.