Priests gear up to resume prayers at flood-ravaged Kedarnath

Over two months after Kedarnath shrine was ravaged by devastating floods in Uttarakhand, efforts are on in full swing to ensure that prayers resume by September 11 as planned even as priests say that much will depend on weather conditions.
"Preparations are going on. There is a meeting on August 25 in Dehradun to take a final call on whether the prayers can begin on the proposed date as we have to consider the weather conditions also. Everyone wants that prayers begin as early as possible," Rawal Bhimshankar Ling, the chief priest of Kedarnath told PTI from Devangere, Karnataka.
Uttarakhand chief minister Vijay Bahuguna had announced earlier this month that prayers will resume from September 11.

A 40-member team consisting of PWD and revenue department personnel reached Kedarnath this week to expedite debris removal exercise and complete other arrangements even as most places across the state were lashed by light to moderate rains.
"Prayers will be held with all the rituals. We will perform a purification prayer first which will include havan. After that the traditional prayer will begin under the guidance of priests," said the priest who is in Kanavkuppi math in Devangere, Karnataka for 'shravan rudrabhishek' which is dedicated to those who died in Kedarnath tragedy this year.
"Many people want to see the prayers but we have to keep the weather conditions and arrangements in mind. Once the prayers get resumed Bagesh Ling, the present priest of Kedarnath temple and other staff will remain there till the doors get closed on November 5," he said.

Bagesh Ling, who was inside the temple on the fateful day, is in Ukhimath now and waiting for prayer to get resumed.

"We are collecting all the necessary stuff for purification and traditional puja," Bagesh said.
"Prayers will be offered to Kaal Bhairav first. Then we will offer Balbhog to Kedarnath, after that there will be Abhishek and Shringar of God and we will offer Mahabhog. There will be a Sampoorna arti in the evening. This is the tradition and will be followed till the doors are closed for winter," he said.
He also said that all the idols brought to Ukhimath after the floods will be taken back to Kedarnath.

"We had brought the movable idols of Ganesh, Parvati, Shankar, Kaal Bhairav and Shaligram to Ukhimath but now we will take them back to Kedarnath. After offering bhog to them, the prayers can resume," he said.