Badrinath temple opened amid rain and snowfall, flowers showered by helicopter, long queues of devotees

After being closed for half a year, Badrinath Dham, located in the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, opened its doors on Thursday. The opening ceremony saw the temple adorned with flowers, as people flocked to pray. The doors were opened at 7:10 a.m., amidst heavy snow and rain.

Despite the inclement weather, long queues of devotees formed to enter the temple. The excitement was palpable, as a helicopter showered flowers on the temple. The temple building was decorated with over 15 quintals of marigold flowers. More than 500,000 people had registered for darshan before the doors opened on Wednesday.

As part of the Char Dham Yatra 2023, Kedarnath Dham was also opened on Tuesday after being closed for six months. The first Rudrabhishek was performed in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also prayed at the temple.

The Kedarnath Dham area is covered in snow, with snowdrifts more than one foot high. However, the temple grounds and the paths leading to it have been cleared of snow. Despite the cold and inhospitable weather, thousands of people flocked to see the temple’s doors open.

The reopening of the two temples is a significant event for devotees and marks the beginning of the Char Dham Yatra 2023 season.