Char Dham Yatra | Kedarnath Idol Carried By Just Five Men This Year Amid Heavy Snow

DEHRADUN: As the Kedarnath temple, one of the Char Dham pilgrimage, is set to open its doors on April 29, the annual Panchmukhi Doli yatra (procession) was undertaken with just five men in the absence of hundreds of pilgrims this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Kumao Battalion of the Indian Army leads the procession along with thousands of devotees. This year, however, only five devotees had carried the palanquin with the Lord Panchmukhi's idol making way from almost 10-feet deep snow.

The Char Dham yatra, the opening ceremony of the four temples in Uttarakhand, is an important annual event attended by tens of thousands of pilgrims but the extended lockdown to halt the spread of coronavirus has cast its shadow on the yatra this year.

Situated in the heights of the Himalayas, the four pilgrim destinations - Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath- are collectively known as Char Dham.

On April 26, the Char Dham yatra began with the opening of Gangotri and Yamunotri temple. Kedarnath will open on April 29 while the opening of Badrinath has been put off to May 15. No pilgrims are allowed this year to visit the Himalayan temples when their portals reopen in a few days after the six-month winter closure.

"In compliance with social distancing norms, we cannot allow pilgrims as of now to visit the temples. Only a select group of priests who have to

perform the pujas at the opening ceremony and temple committee officials are being allowed," state tourism and culture minister Satpal Maharaj said.

When asked how long it will take the state government to permit pilgrims to visit the temples, he said it will depend upon the guidelines from the Centre after the extended lockdown is over. "Our priority at the moment is opening the portals of the temples in accordance with religious beliefs and traditions associated with them. The rest of the decisions will be taken as per the Centre's directives," he was quoted saying to a news agency.

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