Tuesday, 03 May | PNS | New Tehri
The ceremonial palanquins of lord Kedarnath and goddess Ganga left their winter abodes for Kedarnath and Gangotri shrines respectively on Monday. The devotees gathered in large numbers to join the Doli (palanquin) procession of goddess Ganga at her winter abode in Mukhba village from where the palanquin left for Gangotri. The procession of the goddess will spend the night at the Bhaironghati temple and reach Gangotri on May 3 when the portal is scheduled to open to the public. At Uttarkashi, the idol of the deity was placed on the throne of the palanquin after traditional prayers amid the beating of Army drums. The palanquin left at around 12.15 pm for the Gangotri shrine and halted for the night at Bhairon Ghati temple on Monday. The residents chanting Jai Ganga Mai gave a warm send-off with tears in their eyes making the environment an emotional one. The palanquin will leave Bhairon Ghati early morning on Tuesday and reach Gangotri at 11.15 am where after the traditional prayers and amid Vedic chants, the portal of the shrine will be opened for the pilgrims.
At Uttarkashi, the idol of the deity was placed on the throne of the palanquin after traditional prayers amid the beating of army drums. The palanquin left at around 12:15 PM for the Gangotri shrine and halted for the night at Bhairon Ghati temple on Monday. The residents chanting Jai Ganga Mai gave a warm send-off with tears in their eyes making the environment an emotional one. The palanquin will leave Bhaironghati early morning on Tuesday and reach Gangotri at 11:15 AM where after the traditional prayers and amid Vedic chants, the portal of the shrine will be opened for the pilgrims.
The Chal Vigrah Utsav Doli (Palanquin) of lord Kedarnath also left his winter abode at Ukhimath for its summer abode at Kedarnath early on Monday morning. The Doli will reach Kedarnath after which the portal of the shrine will be opened for the pilgrims on May 6. At Ukhimath in Rudraprayag district the palanquin of the lord departed from Omkareshwar temple for Kedarnath in the early morning on Monday amid Vedic chants and traditional prayers. The temple priest Gangadhar Linga installed the idol of the deity from the sanctum sanctorum to the throne in the palanquin and later it was bathed as per the traditional religious rituals. A prayer was held in the presence of Rawal Bhimashankar, priest Shiv Shankar Linga, Rajshekhar Linga and Bagesh Linga.
