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The portals of Gangotri Dham and Yamunotri Dham were ceremonially opened for devotees on Sunday on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, with Vedic chanting and traditional rituals. With this, the Char Dham Yatra 2026 in Uttarakhand has officially commenced.
On this sacred occasion, the first prayers at both shrines were offered in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the opening ceremony at Gangotri Dham, where he took a ceremonial pledge and performed the first worship in the Prime Minister's name, praying for the successful conduct of the Char Dham Yatra and for peace, prosperity, and well-being across the nation and the state. As per religious traditions, the ceremonial palanquin (doli) of Goddess Ganga departed from the Bhairav Temple at Bhairav Ghati and reached Gangotri Dham. Following special rituals and abhishek, the doors of the Gangotri temple were opened for devotees at 12:15 PM. Similarly, the sacred doli of Goddess Yamuna, led by Shani Dev, began its journey from her winter abode at Kharsali and arrived at Yamunotri Dham. The temple doors were opened for devotees at 12:35 PM with proper religious rituals. During the inauguration ceremony at Gangotri Dham, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami offered prayers at the temple of Goddess Ganga and received blessings from the ceremonial palanquin. The Chief Minister stated that the Char Dham Yatra has formally begun on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya. He emphasised that the four sacred shrines of Uttarakhand are major centres of faith for devotees from across the country and abroad, and visiting these divine sites is a cherished aspiration for every devotee. He further added that the state government has made extensive and robust arrangements to ensure a safe, well-organised, and smooth pilgrimage. Priority has been given to providing all essential facilities for the convenience of devotees, along with effective traffic management along the pilgrimage routes to avoid any inconvenience. The Chief Minister also said that the government aims to ensure that every pilgrim visiting Devbhoomi Uttarakhand not only receives divine blessings but also experiences a safe, pleasant, and memorable journey. He appealed to all devotees to support the successful organisation of a green and clean Char Dham Yatra and urged them to remain mindful of cleanliness and environmental conservation. (ANI)
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