The portals of Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district were opened on Wednesday amid chants. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami along with devotees were present.

CM Dhami in a post on X, said, “Today, the doors of Shri Kedarnath Dham will be opened for the darshan of devotees with full rituals and Vedic mantra chanting.”

The opening rituals were performed in accordance with Vedic procedures along with military band performances. The temple was decorated with nearly 15 quintals of flowers.

CM Dhami called the temple “a symbol of India’s spiritual and cultural heritage”. He also pointed out reconstruction works have enhanced the pilgrim experience.

Also Read:Portals of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath Dham open as Char Dham Yatra commences

“I appeal to all residents of Uttarakhand to maintain a spirit of service and hospitality toward pilgrims,” Dhami said.

He added that over 2.05 million devotees have already registered for the Char Dham Yatra this year, calling it a record-breaking figure.

Rituals began at 5 am with prayers and temple gates were officially opened at 8 am in presence of the temple priest Rawal Bhimashankar Ling, Kedarnath MLA Asha Nautiyal, and BKTC Vice-President Vijay Kaprawan.

Hemant Dwivedi, chairman of Badrinath-Kedarnath temple committee, said that season’s first puja was performed in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s name.

Dwivedi said the use of mobile phones, photography, videography and social media reels has been prohibited within a 70-metre radius of the temple.

Char Dham Yatra began on April 19, with the opening of the portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines in Uttarakhand on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya after a six-month winter break. The portals of Kedarnath opened on April 22, while that of Badrinath will open on April 23 at 6.15 am.

Officials said that 1,952,809 pilgrims have registered online so far.