This year, the portals of Yamunotri shrine will be opened on May 14, while the portals of Gangotri shrine will be opened on May 15. Portals of Kedarnath will be opened on May 17 and May 18 is the date for opening of the portals of Badrinath shrine

The Uttarakhand government on Thursday suspended Char Dham Yatra, which was scheduled to start on May 14, amid the spike in Covid-19 cases across the country. The portals of the four Himalayan shrines of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri will, however, open on the scheduled dates, with only priests to perform rituals and worship in these shrines.

Making the announcement, chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat told mediapersons, “Only priests of the Char Dham shrines will perform rituals and worship. People will not be allowed to undertake the yatra, given the sharp increase in Covid-19 cases.”

Even locals will not be allowed inside the shrines, he said. Rawat made the announcement before an afternoon meeting scheduled to decide on this year’s yatra.

This year, the portals of Yamunotri shrine will be opened on May 14 at 12.15pm, while the portals of Gangotri shrine will be opened on May 15 on the occasion of Akshay Tritiya, at around 7.30am. Portals of Kedarnath will be opened on May 17 and the next day is the date for opening the portals of Badrinath shrine.

After Mahakumbh, where four seers died of Covid, there were apprehensions that Char Dham Yatra could turn out to be a super spreader as most states in the country are reporting a high number of daily cases.

Source: The Hindustan Times