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Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines reopen for `darshan'

Staff Correspondent

DEHRA DUN: The higher Himalayan shrines of Badrinath and Kedarnath have reopened for `darshan' amid much fanfare and loud chants of Vedic mantras. Thousands of pilgrims from all over the country and abroad were present to be among the first to have `darshan' this year.

"The Temple Committees and the Government have made arrangements to make the journey and stay in the region comfortable and we do hope to get a record number of visitors this year," said local officials. The shrines will remain open for the next six months.

It was a new experience for the women of Saldhar, Mana and Brahamani villages as the special "prasad" made by them out of locally available grains is also sold through outlets at Badrinath and Kedarnath. The prasad is made by women trained by the Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organisation (HESCO). "A number of youths have also been trained in marketing skills and we do hope that the pilgrims would love to have the local prasad," said Anil Joshi of HESCO. He wanted the Government to make more efforts to provide good food, transport and accommodation to the pilgrims and tourists coming to the hills.

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