Kedarnath Temple reopens after six-month-long winter break; priests offer first prayers on behalf of Narendra Modi

The doors of Kedarnath Temple, one of the four famed Himalayan shrines, opened at 6.10 am today after a six-month-long winter break. The temple that houses the eleventh jyotirlinga was decorated in a grand way with flowers for the opening. The first puja was performed on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the rituals took place in the presence of only members of the shrine’s committee and administrative officials due to coronavirus lockdown.[caption id="attachment_3501645" align="alignleft" width="380"] File image of Kedarnath temple. AFP[/caption]Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat tweeted about the portals of the temple opening, writing, ""With the blessings of Baba Kedar, we will surely be able to defeat corona. This time devotees could not visit the shrine but Lord Kedar's blessings are with us."A report in NDTV cited temple officials as saying that ten quintals of flowers were used for the decorations. The traditional opening of the gates began around 3 am, in the presence of priests, temple officials and some security personnel. However, The darshan of the deity and prayers will not be allowed because of the COVID-19 restrictions, the report added.The Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines were opened on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya on 26 April.The prime minister last year visited Kedarnath shrine during 2019 Lok Sabha polls. He is a regular visitor to the temple. Modi had also gone to the shrine during Diwali in 2019.He visited the temple twice in 2017, once in May after its gate had opened following a six-month winter break and again in October.In 2019, Kedarnath Temple was thrown open to devotees on 9 May.About Kedarnath shrineKedarnath shrine, built on the banks of Mandakini and the Saraswati rivers, is one among the 12 jyotirlingas and is believed to be more than 1,200 years old. The shrine is surrounded by many peaks including Kedarnath peak which is 6,940 metres high.The temple closes on the first day of Kartik (October-November) every year.