Ahead of PM Modi’s visit, Kedarnath temple decorated with colourful lights [Pics]

Dehradun, Nov 4: Kedarnath wore a festive look on Thursday as the hill shrine is set to be visited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. While the temple was decorated with quintals of flowers in the day, it caught the people's attention with the temple being illuminated with lights in the evening.

A day before the Himalayan temple closes for winter, Narendra Modi will inaugurate the rebuilt 'samadhi' of Adi Guru Shankaracharya besides unveiling a grand statue of the 8th century seer at the temple during his visit to Kedarnath.

The samadhi of Adi guru Shankaracharya was damaged in the 2013 deluge at Kedarnath and the PM has taken a personal interest in redeveloping the temple town.

Adi Guru Shankaracharya's 12 feet tall statue at Kedarnath, weighing 35 tonnes, has been made by Mysore-based sculptors from Krishnashila Stone, known to withstand rain, sunshine, and harsh climate, as per tourism officials.

"The prime minister's vision is to develop Devbhoomi as the world's spiritual and cultural capital where people from across the globe gather for peace," Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami told reporters in Kedarnath.

Redevelopment of Kedarnath on such a large scale is a step towards implementing that vision, he said. "It is a proud moment for us. The prime minister has done things in Kedarnath which no one even thought of for hundreds of years," he said.

During his visit, Narendra Modi will also inaugurate key infrastructure projects worth Rs 130 crores, including Saraswati Retaining Wall Aasthapath and Ghats, Mandakini Retaining Wall Aasthapath, Tirth Purohit Houses, and Garud Chatti bridge on river Mandakini.