Badrinath (Uttarakhand), May 4: Amidst traditional Vedic rituals and chants of “Jai Badri Vishal”, the sacred portals of Shri Badrinath Dham were opened to devotees on Sunday at 6 a.m in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district.
The spiritual ambiance was further elevated by the melodious music of the Garhwal Rifles band of the Indian Army.
As the revered shrine opened its doors to pilgrims, helicopters showered flower petals over the gathered devotees.
Notably, the Char Dham Yatra includes the high-altitude shrines of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. The yatra attracts lakhs of devotees from across India and around the world each year. With the final leg at Badrinath now open, the Char Dham Yatra is in full swing.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited Shri Badrinath Dham to offer prayers, interacting with devotees and locals, and warmly greeting pilgrims with handshakes.
Taking to his official ‘X’ handle, CM Dhami wrote, "The doors of 'Bhu-Vaikunth' Shri Badrinath Dham, one of the Char Dhams, the centre of faith for crores of devotees, have been opened today for the devotees with full rites and rituals, amidst the divine sound of Vedic chanting."
"With the opening of the doors of Shri Badrinath Dham, the Char Dham Yatra has been fully started. Our government is fully committed to making the journey of the devotees coming to Uttarakhand from the country and abroad smooth, safe and full of pleasant memories," he added.
It is worth mentioning that this year’s Char Dham Yatra officially began on April 30 after the ceremonial opening of the Yamunotri and Gangotri temples on auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya.
Apart from it, the doors of the revered Baba Kedarnath temple were also opened amid elaborate Vedic rituals on Friday.
