Uttarakhand: Doors Opening Date of Kedarnath Temple Will be Announced on Maha Shivratri

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Dehradun: Preparations have been completed at the Shri Omkareshwar Temple complex in Ukhimath to fix the opening date of the kapat (doors) of Shri Kedarnath Dham, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas.The date of opening of the doors will be decided on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivaratri on Saturday. The Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) has made special preparations for the ceremony to be held on the occasion of the date of the opening of the kapat.

The entire temple complex is decorated with flowers. BKTC President Ajendra Ajay said that "Every year on the occasion of Shivratri, the date of opening of the doors of Kedarnath is fixed in the program organized at Omkareshwar Temple, which is the winter worship place of Baba Kedar." "On the occasion of Shivratri, worship will be started in Omkareshwar temple from morning itself.

After bathing and adorning God, bhog will be offered along with Mahabhishek Puja. After this, Vedpathi Panchag will declare the date of opening the doors of Kedarnath Dham. Along with this, the schedule for the departure of Baba Kedar`s idol from Ukhimath to Kedarnath will also be decided," BKTC Committee said.

Earlier on the occasion of Basant Panchami as per tradition, the time and date for the opening of the famous temple were decided in a special function organized at Rajmahal in Narendra Nagar. The doors of Shri Badrinath Dham will open the following day on April 27 morning.

The Badrinath Dham is one of the four ancient pilgrimage sites referred to as `Char Dham` which also included Yamunotri, Gangotri and Kedarnath. It is situated in the town of Badrinath in Uttarakhand. It remains open for six months every year (between the end of April and the beginning of November).