Prayers at Kedarnath temple to begin in September

Regular prayers at Kedarnath shrine, suspended for over a month since the June calamity in Uttarakhand, will be resumed on September 11.

The decision was taken here today at a meeting held by Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna with the Rawal (head priest) of the Himalayan shrine, representatives of Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, officials engaged in the clean-up exercise at Kedarnath and senior ministers, officials said.

The auspicious date of September 11 for resumption of prayers at the shrine was decided after taking approval of the religious leaders who attended the meeting, they said.

However, before prayers begin at the shrine, its premises will be purged and purified as per Vedic rituals, they said.

The decision follows completion of the clean-up exercise within the interiors of the famed temple, they said.

Though areas close to the temple bore the brunt of the natural calamity, its interiors had remained almost unharmed.

Prayers at the shrine had come to a halt ever since the massive deluge struck on June 16-17, causing massive damage to life and property especially in Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Uttarkashi and Pithoragarh districts which were the worst hit.

Though prayers will start at the shrine from September 11, the Char dham yatra will not be resumed before September 30, which is the deadline set by the state government for road restoration work in Kedar ghati, an onerous task considering vagaries of the weather which often hamper efforts to restore connectivity.