Dehradun, 23 April (H.S.): The doors of the sacred Badrinath temple in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand were formally opened to devotees at 6:15 a.m. on Thursday, in a resplendent ceremony steeped in Vedic chants and religious tradition. As priests recited ancient mantras, traditional musical instruments and the military band’s harmonious strains filled the air, and the town of Badrinath reverberated with the joyous chants of lakhs of pilgrims gathered to mark the annual Char Dham Yatra season.

An estimated 15,000 devotees from across India and abroad thronged the temple complex to catch a glimpse of Lord Badrinarayan and the perpetual Akhand Jyoti, marking the opening of the pilgrimage with spiritual fervour and celebration. The atmospheric devotional songs, drums and the scent of incense made the early‑morning rituals a deeply moving spectacle, underlining the temple’s status as a key shrhe of faith in the Himalayan region.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami performed the first Mahabhishek Puja on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, praying for the prosperity, peace and happiness of the nation and the state. After the opening of the sanctum doors, the idols of Goddess Lakshmi were ceremonially reinstalled in their original shrine, and the processions of Udav, Garud, Shankaracharya’s throne and other holy icons made their way into the inner sanctum, completing the elaborate ritual sequence that formalises the start of the pilgrimage calendar.

The state government, in coordination with the Badrinath–Kedarnath Temple Committee and local administration, has put in place extensive arrangements to ensure a smooth, safe and hassle‑free pilgrimage. Chief Minister Dhami personally reviewed feedback on the logistical and security plans and reiterated that the state has made wide‑ranging preparations to make the Char Dham Yatra accessible, secure and well‑organised. He emphasised enhanced infrastructure, medical facilities, traffic management and digital monitoring to guarantee a seamless experience for pilgrims traversing the demanding Himalayan terrain.

Dhami also appealed to all visitors, whether domestic or international, to adopt an eco‑friendly and clean‑temples approach, encouraging them to participate in a “green and clean” Char Dham journey. He stressed the importance of preserving the fragile Himalayan ecology, urging devotees to avoid plastic, littering and unsustainable practices during their visit.

The opening of the doors was accompanied by a rich display of local culture: women from Mana and Bamani villages performed traditional Jhoomailo dances in the temple courtyard, filling the atmosphere with the colours of folk heritage and devotional fervour. Pilgrims from different parts of the country joined in the celebration with bhajans and kirtans, turning the precincts into a vibrant confluence of faith and indigenous art.

The day’s festivities culminated with the inauguration of the temple’s community langar, or bhandaara, presided over by the Chief Minister. Dhami cut the ceremonial ribbon for the meal service and shared prasad with devotees, praising the voluntary service of the organisations running the large‑scale food distribution on the “service to humanity being service to God” principle. The presence of district magistrate Gaurav Kumar, senior police officials, temple trustees and leading religious figures underlined the collective effort to make the Badrinath season safe, dignified and spiritually uplifting for every pilgrim.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar