India's famous Badrinath Temple reopened for pilgrims on Thursday after a long winter break amid chants of Vedic hymns and tunes of an army band.
For the special occasion, the temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, has been decorated with 15 quintals of flowers.
Thousands of devotees, who usually undertake the "Chardham Yatra" (a pilgrimage of four centers of worship), converged to witness the grand reopening. They were standing outside to have an audience with Lord Vishnu and worship him.
Located in the Garhwal Hills in the Chamoli district, near the banks of the Alaknanda River, the temple is situated at an altitude of 10,200 feet above sea level.
The temple is open to pilgrims for six months, from April-May to October-November. The opening and closing dates are decided as per the Hindu almanac.
When the temple is closed during winter, the deity of Badrinath Temple is worshipped at the Nar Singh Temple in Joshimath.
Chardham Yatra
The Chardham Yatra began on the auspicious occasion of Akshay Tritiya (April 22).
The portals of the Yamunotri and Gangotri temples were opened on this date, while the doors of Kedarnath Temple were opened on April 25. This pilgrimage is considered to be one of the most auspicious in the country.
The first batch of pilgrims for this year's Chardham Yatra left from the holy city of Haridwar of Uttarkhand on Saturday.
While talking to the media on Tuesday, when the doors of Kedarnath Temple were opened, Uttarakhand state chief Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday said every possible effort had been made to ensure that Chardham Yatra is comfortable and safe for devotees.
“Social organisations and voluntary organisations have also provided full cooperation for the yatra. Based on the previous years' experience, work has been done to advance the travel arrangements,” he added.
The state chief said that the pilgrimage in Gangotri and Yamunotri was going smoothly.
According to media reports, flowers were showered on devotees from a helicopter.
The state chief also offered prayers at Kedarnath Temple and prayed for the happiness and prosperity of the country and state.