Portals of Himalayan temple Kedarnath open for devotees

The portals of Himalayan temple Kedarnath were opened on Friday, with more than 12,000 pilgrims attending the ceremony.

The gates of the temple located at a height of more than 11,000 ft were opened at 7 am, Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) officials said.

The Himalayan temple was adorned with 108 quintals of flowers of 54 varieties, including rose and marigold, brought from different countries like Nepal, Thailand and Sri Lanka.

Of the four Char Dham temples Kedarnath, which is also the 11th Jyotirlinga, attracts the largest number of devotees. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

It is the third temple in the Char Dham circuit to be opened after the winter break. Gangotri and Yamunotri temples were opened on April 30 and Badrinath will open on May 4.

The process of opening the gates of Kedarnath began at 5 am, BKTC media in-charge Harish Gaur said.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami attended the opening ceremony and was the first to perform a puja at the temple after the opening of its gates praying for the well-being and prosperity of all.

The temple, which is visited every year by lakhs of devotees from across the country and abroad, remains closed during the winter months.