Dehradun: The doors of the famous Kedarnath temple, located in the upper Garhwal Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, will reopen for devotees on April 22nd after remaining closed for nearly six months during the winter season. A temple committee official announced this on Sunday. Dr. Harish Gaur, public relations officer of the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee, stated that on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivratri, after the traditional prayers at the Omkareshwar temple, the winter seat of Baba Kedarnath, religious leaders and Veda scholars calculated the almanac and determined the auspicious time for the opening of the doors.
Auspicious time determined for Mahashivratri
He informed that the doors of the Kedarnath temple, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, will open for devotees on April 22nd this year at 8 am in the Taurus ascendant. The ceremony, held at the Omkareshwar Temple, decorated with nearly nine and a half quintals of flowers, was attended by the chief priest of the Kedarnath Temple, Rawal Bhimashankar Ling, Kedarnath MLA Asha Nautiyal, Temple Committee President Hemant Dwivedi, other officials, religious leaders, and hundreds of devotees.
Chants of “Jai Baba Kedar”
On this occasion, devotees chanted “Jai Baba Kedar” after darshan and took prasad from food distribution camps organized by donors. With the auspicious time for the opening of the Kedarnath Temple, the dates for the four holy shrines of the Garhwal Himalayas have also been finalized. The doors of Badrinath Dham will open for devotees on April 23rd, while the doors of Gangotri Dham and Yamunotri Dham will open on April 19th, Akshaya Tritiya.
With the official announcement of the opening of the doors, the administration and the temple committee have intensified preparations to clear snow from the pilgrimage route and restore civic amenities. Strict arrangements are being made for accommodation, health, and security for the millions of pilgrims arriving from India and abroad to facilitate their journey in the difficult geographical conditions of the Himalayas.
Dates for the four Dhams have been finalized.
The doors of Gangotri Dham will open on April 19th, coinciding with Akshaya Tritiya. The doors of Yamunotri Dham will also open on April 19th, coinciding with Akshaya Tritiya. The doors of Kedarnath Dham will open on April 22nd, and the doors of Badrinath Dham will open on April 23rd.
