The Union Minister Uma Bharti and the Chief Minister Harish Rawat were present when the portals of the famed Kedarnath shrine were closed for the winter on Tuesday morning amidst the chanting of Vedic hymns. Now, the devotees would pay obeisance to Baba Kedarnath at Omkareswhar temple, the winter abode of the lord where the deity was taken too through a ceremonial procession, a ritual continuing through ages. The yatra to the winter abode started right after the CM reached Kedarnath at 7.30 am. He performed some rituals and then joined thousands to carry Baba Kedar doli (Palanquin) on his shoulders.
later, while interacting with the media persons, a beaming CM said the goal of drawing a certain number of pilgrims to the four shrines of Uttarakhand had been met. “We are confident that the figure of pilgrims would double next year. We would ensure that by bettering things that they enjoyed this year,” he said, adding that his government has been executing Kedar reconstruction works on its own resources. “It is sad to say that the present Central government is sitting on the funds the previous government allotted for the state, post 2013 disaster,” he said. He further said that they were happy with the figure of pilgrims visiting Kedarnath swelling up to over three lakh this season. “This is thanks to the tireless efforts made by the administration, police and SDRF,” CM added.
He assured that the ongoing Kedarnath reconstruction work would be completed shortly, adding that the grievances of the priest community and the common people residing there would be addressed too.
CM said he had asked the temple committee to send a proposal of its requirement for the winter char dhams. “We would provide all kinds of assistance,” he said.
Rawat further said that during winter season, Badri Ganga Dham Darshan Yojna would be initiated, adding Mukhwa, Harshil, Tehri lake, Auli and other tourist spots in the circuit of religious tourrrism. He also invoked ‘Mere Buzurg Mere Teerth’ and Hito Kedar to buttres his point that his government was putting out all stops to revive the tourism sector of the state wrecked by the deluge 2013. Besides CM and Uma Bharti, Haridwar MP and former CM Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, DM Dr Raghav langher and SP Prahlad Narayan Meena were present.
during the portal closing ceremony.