Badrinath temple opens early morning with low-key ceremony, no devotees allowed

The gates of Badrinath temple were opened early on Friday in a low-key ceremony with only a select group of priests and Devasthanam Board officials attending the function.

The sacred portals of the temple in the Himalayas were opened at 4.30 am by its chief priest Rawal Ishwari Prasad Nambudiri in the presence of a limited number of shrine board officials. The priest and the officials appeared wearing masks and maintained social distance through the process, said media incharge of Devasthanam Board Harish Gaud.

After the gates were opened, the first puja was performed on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi praying for the welfare of mankind.

Though the crowd of devotees was missing from the opening ceremony, the temple was decorated with 10 quintals of flowers and glittering with lights, Gaud said.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj congratulated devotees on the opening of the temple and expressed hope that the coronavirus pandemic will be defeated and the chardham yatra will begin as soon as possible.