Kedarnath (Uttarakhand): In a sudden turn of weather events in the high-altitude regions of Uttarakhand, Kedarnath Dham is currently immersed in continuous and intense snowfall. Since Wednesday evening, this historic pilgrimage site, renowned as one of the country's oldest and most revered, has been covered in a thick layer of snow.
The Indian Meteorological Department predicts that the minimum temperature in Kedarnath will linger between -16 to -18 degrees Celsius until January 23. Although light rainfall is anticipated, no official warnings or advisories have been issued as of now.
Simultaneously, Chamoli district, after a prolonged wait, witnessed its first snowfall of the winter season on Wednesday. Notable snowfall was observed at various significant locations, including Badrinath Dham, Hemkund Sahib, Valley of Flowers, Rudranath, Niti Valley, and Mana Valley, with Hanumanchatti also being blanketed in snow.
In a unique development, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has extended an invitation to seers at Badrinath Dham for the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, scheduled for January 22. VHP workers formally presented the invitation to the meditating seers in the cold surroundings of Badrinath Dham.
The seven-day Vedic rituals for the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya commenced on January 16, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of a special 11-day 'anushthan' (ritual) earlier this month. PM Modi is set to preside over the ceremonial installation of Shri Ram Lalla inside the temple's sanctum sanctorum.
Champat Rai, the general secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, revealed that the Ram temple will open for public 'darshan' from January 23, following the conclusion of the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony. He added, "The ceremony is expected to conclude by 1 pm, and PM Modi and other dignitaries present will share their thoughts. Traditional gifts in 1,000 baskets have arrived from Nepal's Janakpur and areas of Mithila. On January 20 and 21, darshan will remain closed to the public as part of the festivities."
