'108 quintals of flowers’: Kedarnath Temple reopens with grand floral welcome as Char Dham Yatra begins

The portals of the revered Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district reopened on Friday at 7 am, marking the beginning of this year’s pilgrimage. According to a report by PTI, over 12,000 devotees attended the ceremony at the Himalayan shrine, located at an altitude of more than 11,000 feet.

To commemorate the reopening of this shrine, it was decorated with 108 quintals of flowers comprising 54 varieties, including roses and marigolds. The flowers were sourced from all across India—Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, Patna, Kashmir—and countries like Nepal, Thailand and Sri Lanka.

The ceremonial reopening of the temple began at 5 am and included a formal puja. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also and his wife Geeta Dhami. Vedic chants were performed by head priest Bhimashankar Ling and Bagesh Ling as the sacred doors were unlocked for pilgrims.

Of the four Char Dham sites, Kedarnath attracts the largest number of devotees annually. It is also the 11th Jyotirlinga and holds great significance for Lord Shiva devotees. The temple is the third among the Char Dham shrines to reopen after winter, following Gangotri and Yamunotri on April 30.

In the wake of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 27 tourists, authorities have prioritised safety at Kedarnath. Security arrangements have been strengthened to ensure the protection of thousands of pilgrims expected in the coming days.

The Char Dham Yatra officially commenced on April 30. A full-scale pilgrimage is expected to begin with the opening of Badrinath on May 4, completing the access to all four sacred Himalayan shrines for the season.

The portals of the revered Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district reopened on Friday at 7 am, marking the beginning of this year’s pilgrimage. According to a report by PTI, over 12,000 devotees attended the ceremony at the Himalayan shrine, located at an altitude of more than 11,000 feet.

To commemorate the reopening of this shrine, it was decorated with 108 quintals of flowers comprising 54 varieties, including roses and marigolds. The flowers were sourced from all across India—Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, Patna, Kashmir—and countries like Nepal, Thailand and Sri Lanka.

The ceremonial reopening of the temple began at 5 am and included a formal puja. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also and his wife Geeta Dhami. Vedic chants were performed by head priest Bhimashankar Ling and Bagesh Ling as the sacred doors were unlocked for pilgrims.

Of the four Char Dham sites, Kedarnath attracts the largest number of devotees annually. It is also the 11th Jyotirlinga and holds great significance for Lord Shiva devotees. The temple is the third among the Char Dham shrines to reopen after winter, following Gangotri and Yamunotri on April 30.

In the wake of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 27 tourists, authorities have prioritised safety at Kedarnath. Security arrangements have been strengthened to ensure the protection of thousands of pilgrims expected in the coming days.

The Char Dham Yatra officially commenced on April 30. A full-scale pilgrimage is expected to begin with the opening of Badrinath on May 4, completing the access to all four sacred Himalayan shrines for the season.