The portals of the lakshman temple and Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara were reopened to the public on Monday amidst snowfall. Thousands of Sikhs bathed in the nearby lokpal lake and paid their obeisance in the Gurudwara on the occasion. The portals of the two shrines were reopened to the public ceremoniously at about 10 AM on Monday. Devotees from the Sikh community from various parts of India had congregated at the site on the occasion in large numbers.
A band of the Sikh Regiment played while the portals of the Gurudwara were reopened to the public. It is estimated that about 7,000 visitors visited the Gurudwara here on the occasion. The pilgrimage to the lakshman temple and Hemkund Sahib is continued till October when it is closed to the public for the winters. Situated at a high altitude, this area is still covered in snow. There are still large glaciers ahead of Ghangharia which have been cut to clear a route to the lakshman temple and the Gurudwara.
State Disaster Response Force personnel have been deployed to tackle any necessity in case of heavy snowfall in the area and to ensure safe passage of pilgrims through the sensitive zones. There was heavy snowfall ahead of Atalakoti on Monday with about one feet snow falling at the pilgrimage centre.