Badrinath Temple doors opens late, CM assures to ease long wait

Chamoli, Dehra Dun, May 9 (UNI) Tension prevailed at the Badrinath Temple today after the doors of the shrine where Lord Vishnu meditated, opened four hours late.

According to media reports, the shrine opened at 0816 hrs, four hours after its scheduled time of 0400 hrs. The reason behind the inordinate delay was not yet announced.

Pilgrims had begun assembling at the shrine, located at an altitude of 10,276 feet, since midnight last night .

Among the dignitaries who paid his obeisance was Uttarakhand Chief Minister B C Khanduri.

Talking to a media channel this morning, the Chief Minister said he felt honoured to visit the abode of Lord Vishnu and added that his government was working on an alternative to ease the long wait of pilgrims to enter the temple.

Legend has it that Lord Vishnu came to an area called 'Badri Van' (berry garden) to meditate. The present temple located in Chamoli district, is believed to have been built by Guru Adi Shankaracharya.

The main shrine area houses the black stone image of Lord Badrinarayan, sitting under a gold canopy, under a Badri Tree. There are fifteen more idols around the temple that are also worshipped.

The temple has three parts - Garbha Grih (The Sanctum Sanctorum), Darshan Mandap (for pujas) and Sabha Mandap (for devotees to assemble).

The temple is open only for six months every year (between the end of April and the beginning of November).

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