Mussoorie/Haridwar, May 1 -- The Char Dham Yatra commenced on Wednesday with the ceremonial opening of Yamunotri and Gangotri Dham shrines in Uttarkashi district on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya. More than 5,000 devotees attended the opening ceremonies. Both shrines were beautifully adorned with flowers, signifying the formal beginning of the annual pilgrimage season. The occasion was marked by the rhythmic beating of traditional drums, Vedic chants and flower petals being showered on the pilgrims by a helicopter during the opening of the portals at Gangotri. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami offered prayers to Ganga river. He also performed the first puja in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and prayed for the well-being of the nation and the state. Dhami was also present during the opening of the portals of Yamunotri Dham, where he offered prayers. "I congratulate everyone on this auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya. With the opening of the portals of Yamunotri and Gangotri, the Char Dham Yatra has formally begun," Dhami said. "The ceremonial idol procession of Mother Ganga, after an overnight stay at Bhairav Temple in Bhaironghati, reached Gangotri shrine on Wednesday amid the beats of traditional drums and melodies from the 14 Rajputana Rifles pipe band. The portals were opened for devotees at 10.30 am under the Rohini Nakshatra on Akshaya Tritiya," Suresh Semwal, secretary of the Gangotri Temple Committee, said....