New Delhi: The gates of Gangotri and Yamunotri Dhams located in Uttar Kashi district of Uttarakhand were opened for devotees, which means that the Char Dham Yatra has begun on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya on Sunday. One of the most important pilgrimages of Sanatan Dharma has begun.
Ganga Mata's doli left Mukhba on Saturday and headed towards Gangotri Dham, accompanied by the music of military bands and local instruments. On the other hand, Yamuna Mata's doli was sent from Kharsali to Yamunotri. Earlier, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami flagged off the yatra in Rishikesh and wished the devotees for a peaceful and spiritual journey.
In view of the cold weather in the hilly areas, additional facilities have been provided at the four shrines—Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Provisions have been made for drinking water, electricity, toilets and special places for rest along the pilgrimage routes.
Under the security arrangements, all the shrines will be monitored through high-tech cameras and police and paramilitary forces have been deployed.
The gates of Kedarnath will open on April 22 and Badrinath on April 23. In his message, the Chief Minister appealed to the devotees to follow the rules and make the pilgrimage plastic-free keeping in mind the environment. He also prayed to Mata Ganga and Mata Yamuna for the well-being of all the devotees. According to officials, about 18.9 lakh devotees have registered online till Saturday, out of which the maximum number has been registered for Kedarnath. Like every year, this time too, a large number of devotees from across the country and abroad are expected to arrive.