Kedarnath Dham to reopen for devotees on May 10

Dehradun: The gates of Kedarnath will open for the devotees at 7 am on May 10, the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) announced on the occasion of Mahashivratri on Friday.

The announcement was made by BKTC chairman Ajendra Ajay at the Omkareshwar temple in Ukhimath.

The portals of the Himalayan temple, visited by lakhs of people every year were closed during the winters when it remains snow-bound. Greeting people on the occasion of Mahashivratri, Ajay said a record number of devotees visited Kedarnath Dham during the last yatra season and the number of pilgrims will rise further this year.

"Under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the state government and the temple committee are working with commitment to create better facilities for pilgrims", the chairman said. Soon a temple committee team will visit the temple to take stock of the preparations ahead of the yatra, he added.

Vice President of Frontier Development Council Chandi Prasad Bhatt Pachgai and chief priest of Kedarnath Dham Rawal Bhimashankar Ling attended the Mahashivratri ceremony at Omkareshwar temple.