Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Visits Kedarnath Before Winter Closure
On Friday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the Kedarnath Dham to pay his respects to Lord Shiva. The sacred site will close for the winter on Sunday, November 3, at 8:30 AM, after opening on April 25. Kedarnath is one of the four high-altitude Dhams in Uttarakhand, along with Yamunotri, Gangotri, and Badrinath. These shrines close for about six months each year, reopening in April or May and closing in October or November.
The pilgrimage begins at Yamunotri, moves to Gangotri, then Kedarnath, and ends at Badrinath. This year, over 40 lakh visitors have visited the four shrines. On October 14, 27,789 pilgrims traveled to the Char Dham, with Kedarnath seeing the highest number of 11,309 visitors. The Char Dham Yatra started 17 days late on May 10 this year, compared to last year’s start on April 23.
The state government, under CM Dhami’s supervision, made extensive preparations for the pilgrimage. He emphasized the importance of a smooth and organized Char Dham Yatra, which is crucial for the state’s economy. With the increasing number of devotees, the government plans to expand travel arrangements. Last year, 56.13 lakh pilgrims visited during the Yatra, while 46.29 lakh came in 2022, and 34.77 lakh in 2019. The numbers were lower in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, with 3.30 lakh and 5.29 lakh pilgrims respectively.
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Uttarakhand -: Uttarakhand is a state in northern India, known for its beautiful mountains and religious sites. It is often called the ‘Land of the Gods’ because of its many temples and pilgrimage spots.
CM -: CM stands for Chief Minister, who is the head of the government in an Indian state. In this case, Pushkar Singh Dhami is the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand.
Kedarnath -: Kedarnath is a famous Hindu temple located in the Himalayas in Uttarakhand. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the four sacred shrines in the Char Dham Yatra.
Winter Closure -: Winter Closure means that the temple will be closed during the winter months because of heavy snowfall and cold weather, making it difficult for people to visit.
Char Dham -: Char Dham refers to four holy sites in Uttarakhand: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. Pilgrims visit these sites as part of a religious journey called the Char Dham Yatra.
Pilgrims -: Pilgrims are people who travel to a holy place for religious reasons. In this context, they are visiting the Char Dham sites to worship and seek blessings.
Footfall -: Footfall means the number of people visiting a place. Here, it refers to the number of pilgrims visiting Kedarnath.
Yatra -: Yatra is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘journey’ or ‘pilgrimage’. In this context, it refers to the religious journey to the Char Dham sites.