The Badrinath shrine will be reopened for the summer on May 15 instead of the earlier scheduled date of April 30. The head of the erstwhile royal family of Tehri, Manujendra Shah communicated the revised date to the Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat telephonically on Monday during a meeting attended by the State’s Tourism and Culture Minister Satpal Maharaj and the Tehri MP and member of the erstwhile Tehri royal family, Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah among others. The date had to be revised since the Rawal (chief priest) of Badrinath will have to remain in quarantine after his return from his native village in Kerala late on Monday or Tuesday. The date for reopening the Kedarnath shrine will be finalised by its Rawal in consultation with priests on Tuesday and will be announced later.
It is pertinent to mention here that on Vasant Panchami, the priests had finalised April 30 as the date for reopening the Badrinath shrine. The date was arrived at by priests and astrologers in the palace of the erstwhile king0 of Tehri, Manujendra Shah on the occasion of Vasant Panchami. However, due to the change in situation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic the date has been revised. The portals of Badrinath will now be opened at 4:30 AM on May 15. This will enable the Rawal to preside over the ritual reopening after completing his quarantine. The date had to be revised to maintain tradition as only the Rawal is authorised for some aspects of the rituals in the shrine. The Gadu oil ritual will be held on May 5.
Meanwhile, chairing a meet regarding the revised dates for reopening of Badrinath and Kedarnath, the CM said that in view of COVID-19 pandemic, the directions of the Government of India have to be observed. Regarding the date for reopening of Kedarnath shrine, Rawat said that the temple’s chief priest and Pundits associated with the tradition will deliberate on the situation and finalise the date and time.
It is pertinent to mention here that Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines are scheduled to be reopened for the summer on April 26. The chief priests in both these shrines are from the local community. However, the Rawals of both Badrinath and Kedarnath are from other States.
While the Badrinath Rawal, Ishwari Prasad Namboodri was in his native village in Kerala, the Kedarnath Rawal Bhima Shankar Lingam was in Maharashtra before his recent return to Uttarakhand. Both of them will remain in quarantine after health checks before the reopening of the shrines.