Guptkashi, 20 April (H.S.):

Baba Kedarnath’s ceremonial procession, the chal vigrah utsav doli, reached Gaurikund on Monday. After an overnight halt there, the procession will proceed to Kedarnath on Tuesday, April 21, and the shrine’s doors will open on Wednesday at 8:00 a.m. with full religious rituals and long-standing traditions.

On Monday, after prayers, the deity’s palanquin set out for its second-night halt at Gauri Mai Temple in Gaurikund. Passing through Badasu, Shersi, Rampur, Sitapur and Sonprayag, the procession arrived in Gaurikund at around 4:00 p.m.

Devotees and pilgrims welcomed the palanquin with garlands, flower offerings and Vedic chants. Chief priest T. Gangadhar Ling, palki in-charge Kishan Dwivedi and Shri Kedar Sabha president Rajkumar Tiwari were among those present, along with a large number of devotees.

The procession will stay overnight in Gaurikund, and on Tuesday morning Baba’s palanquin will depart for Kedarnath, reaching the shrine by noon.

On April 22, the gates of Kedarnath temple will be opened for devotees at 8:00 a.m. in accordance with the prescribed rituals.

Earlier, on Sunday, the Panchmukhi ceremonial palanquin of Baba Kedarnath had left Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath amid Vedic chanting and the rhythms of an army band after prayers and worship. From Ukhimath, it passed through several halts and reached Guptkashi’s Vishwanath Temple, where it rested briefly before moving toward Phata.

Along the route, devotees warmly welcomed the procession. From Phata, the palanquin reached the next halt at Gaurikund at around 4:30 p.m., with pilgrims dancing emotionally to the army band’s tunes at several points along the way.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar