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Thick snow heralds winter break for Uttaranchal shrines:The Deccan Herald
DEHRA DUN, Oct 28:A thick blanket of snow today enveloped the famous Kedarnath shrine in Rudraprayag district soon after its portals were closed for winter period virtually culminating the religious tourism in the hill state of Uttaranchal.In the next six months, Kedarnath shrine perched at a high altitude of 3581 mts in Garhwal Himalayas would remain snow-bound due to the extreme wintry conditions there.
DEHRA DUN, Oct 28:
A thick blanket of snow today enveloped the famous Kedarnath shrine in Rudraprayag district soon after its portals were closed for winter period virtually culminating the religious tourism in the hill state of Uttaranchal.
In the next six months, Kedarnath shrine perched at a high altitude of 3581 mts in Garhwal Himalayas would remain snow-bound due to the extreme wintry conditions there.
The chief priest of Kedarnath early this morning offered prayers with all vedic rituals with hundreds of devotees thronging the lord Shiva temple. As the priests recited vedic hymns, the chief priest announced the closure of shrine for winter period.
“It is a very auspicious occasion that Kedarnath experienced snowfall on a day when its gates were being closed,” said Jagat Singh Bisht, Chief Executive Officer of Badrinath Kedarnath temple committee.
Similarly, the portals of Badrinath shrine (3133 mts) in Chamoli district would be closed for the winter on November 19, Bisht said. Yesterday, two other famous Himalayan shrines of Gangotri (3042 mts) and Yamunotri (3235 mts) situated in Uttarkashi district, were also closed with full vedic rituals.
All the four shrines, collectively known as Char Dhams, would reopen for pilgrims in April-May next year, officials said.
A record ten lakh pilgrims visited Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines since April this year when the doors of the two shrines were reopened for the summer season. This year, one lakh more pilgrims visited the two shrines as compared to the previous year, the officials said.
Meanwhile, the state government is contemplating a move to take over the management of Gangotri and Yamnotri shrines, presently being managed by private organisations of sants and sadhus.
The moves come in the wake of the setting up a Char Dham Tourism Board under the chairmanship of Union Tourism Minister Jagmohan who has already given his nod to develop tourist circuits of Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines.
“It is a very auspicious occasion that Kedarnath experienced snowfall on a day when its gates were being closed,” said Jagat Singh Bisht, Chief Executive Officer of Badrinath Kedarnath temple committee.
Similarly, the portals of Badrinath shrine (3133 mts) in Chamoli district would be closed for the winter on November 19, Bisht said. Yesterday, two other famous Himalayan shrines of Gangotri (3042 mts) and Yamunotri (3235 mts) situated in Uttarkashi district, were also closed with full vedic rituals.
All the four shrines, collectively known as Char Dhams, would reopen for pilgrims in April-May next year, officials said.
A record ten lakh pilgrims visited Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines since April this year when the doors of the two shrines were reopened for the summer season. This year, one lakh more pilgrims visited the two shrines as compared to the previous year, the officials said.
Meanwhile, the state government is contemplating a move to take over the management of Gangotri and Yamnotri shrines, presently being managed by private organisations of sants and sadhus.
The moves come in the wake of the setting up a Char Dham Tourism Board under the chairmanship of Union Tourism Minister Jagmohan who has already given his nod to develop tourist circuits of Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines.