Doors of Hemkund Sahib Gurdwara open for devotees
The doors of Hemkund Sahib Gurdwara, a famous Sikh pilgrimage site in the upper Garhwal Himalayan region in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, opened for devotees on Sunday.
After the arrival of ‘Panj Pyare' in the morning, the doors were opened for the devotees amidst ‘ardas’, Shabad Kirtan and Gurbani.
With this, the pilgrimage to the Hemkund Sahib has commenced.
The gurdwara, situated at an altitude of 15,000 feet, was decorated with flowers and colorful flags. President of Hemkund Gurdwara Trust Narendrajit Singh Bindra and other officials were also present.
With snow still covering the area around the gurdwara, a path has been cleared for devotees.
On Saturday, the first batch of Sikh devotees led by 'Panj Pyare' from Govindghat Gurdwara left for Hemkund Sahib with the holy ‘Nishan Sahib’. The group stayed the night at Ghangaria Gurdwara. In the morning, the group left for Hemkund Sahib amid chants of ‘Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal’.
The pilgrimage to Hemkund Sahib begins in May every year and continues till October. During this, lakhs of devotees from across the country and abroad reach there to pay obeisance.
Arrangements have been made by the police to ensure the safety and smooth journey of the devotees. Teams of State Disaster Response Force have also been deployed at the main stops of pilgrimage route
