CM Dhami and Shankaracharya Offer First Prayers
Chamoli: The doors of the revered Badrinath Temple, located in Chamoli district as part of Uttarakhand’s globally renowned Char Dham Yatra, were ceremonially reopened on Thursday morning at 6:15 AM. After a closure of approximately 149 days, the reopening of the shrine sparked immense enthusiasm among devotees.
Following the opening of the temple gates, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was the first to offer prayers to Lord Badri Vishal. He was followed by Swami Avimukteshwaranand, who performed traditional पूजा rituals. Around 2,000 devotees were present in the temple परिसर at the time of the reopening.
As per tradition, devotees were first granted darshan of the sacred Akhand Jyoti (eternal flame), which has been continuously burning for the past six months. The ghee-soaked woolen covering (Ghrit Kambal), used to shield the idol of Lord Badri Vishal during the temple’s closure, was also removed.
According to former religious officer of Badrinath Dham, Bhuvan Chandra Uniyal, the covering was found to be fully saturated with ghee this year. This is considered an auspicious sign, symbolizing favorable weather conditions and prosperity in the times ahead.
