Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on 3 May, visited the Kedarnath temple, the doors of which were thrown open for devotees after a six-month winter break. Modi is the first Prime Minister to offer his prayers at the Himalayan shrine, after former Prime Minister VP Singh’s visit to the temple in 1989.
The temple priests met the PM and gifted him a shawl, a rudraksha, a wooden replica of the temple, and books about the Himalayas.
Before returning to his chopper, PM Modi carried out a ‘parikrama’ of the Nandi statue outside the temple. He also visited the rock, the Bhimshila – that is believed to have saved the temple from being severely damaged during the June 2013 floods.
The PM was accompanied by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and Governor KK Paul. He arrived in an army chopper at the helipad built close to the temple.
Modi entered the shrine around half an hour after the gates were opened at 8:50 am. He offered prayers and performed a 'rudrabhishek' in the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine.
PM Modi spent approximately 20 minutes in the shrine, after which he stepped out of the temple to wave at the crowds.
Modi Meets Ramdev in Haridwar
After his visit to the Kedarnath shrine, Modi inaugurated a research centre at Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar.
In his welcome address, the yoga guru called PM Modi a “rashtra rishi”.
(With PTI inputs)
Video Editor: Mohd Ibrahim
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)