Chamoli, May 4 -- Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami performed the first Mahabhishek Puja in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday and prayed for the happiness and prosperity of the country and the state, as the portals of Badrinath Dham were opened for devotees, officials said.

"Today is an important day because people wait six months to pray in the temple... First prayers are offered for everyone's well-being... Then the pious portals of the Lord are opened... Uttarakhand Chief Minister prayed for the well-being of the state...This has been happening over the last several years. As lord Badri is the 'Ishta Dev' of the nation, the first puja will be offered on behalf of the Prime Minister and then to the Chief M...