Record 13 lakh bookings for Chardham Pilgrimage in eight days
The State Tourism Department called it a sign of record breaking flow of pilgrims to the four shrines as the pilgrimage season is scheduled to start on May 10.
Famous Hindu shrine Badrinath will reopen for pilgrims after a six-month winter break on April 30.
Located in district Chamoli, the temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, attracts thousands of visitors annually. The opening date was announced at a special ceremony held at the Narendra Nagar Palace in District Tehri on Wednesday.
Representatives of Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee, priests, and other stakeholders attended the special ceremony. The Tehri royal family continues to remain a key figure in fixing the opening date of the Badrinath temple.
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The age-old ritual witnessed a group of priests, belonging to the Dimiri community and members of the Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), reaching the Narendra Nagar Palace on Wednesday morning requesting Maharaja Manujendra Shah to declare the opening date.
Besides the temple opening date, the calendar of other rituals associated with the reopening of the shrine was also declared on Wednesday.
BKTC’s media coordinator Harish Gaud said, “The shrine will be thrown open for the pilgrims on April 30 at 4.30 am.” The Badrinath temple was closed on 17 November last year for winter break. The six month pilgrimage season in 2019 witnessed a record 12 lakh pilgrims visiting the holy town.
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