Mussoorie, Feb. 16 -- The portals of the Kedarnath Dham temple will be opened to devotees on April 22 at 8am, marking the beginning of this year's Char Dham Yatra season, officials of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) announced on Sunday. The date was declared at the Shri Omkareshwar Temple, the winter seat of Lord Kedarnath in Ukhimath, following traditional Panchang (Hindu almanac) calculations on the occasion of Maha Shivratri. The ceremony was attended by Kedarnath Rawal (priest) Bhimashankar Ling, Kedarnath MLA Asha Nautiyal, BKTC chairman Hemant Dwivedi, vice-chairman Vijay Kaprawan and BKTC chief executive officer Vijay Prasad Thapliyal, along with religious scholars and public representatives. The temple premises at Ukhimath were decorated with nearly 9.5 quintals of flowers to mark the occasion. Dwivedi extended greetings to devotees in India and abroad and said preparations for the upcoming pilgrimage season would now be expedited. "The portals of Shri Badrinath Dham will open on April 23, and with the date for Shri Kedarnath Dham now fixed at April 22, BKTC will accelerate its Yatra preparations," he said. Inviting pilgrims for the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath and Char Dham Yatra, Dwivedi added that the temple committee remains committed to safeguarding traditions and rights during the yatra season. He said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the committee is working in close coordination with the state government to ensure that the pilgrimage is safe and convenient for devotees. BKTC CEO Vijay Prasad Thapliyal said inspections of guest houses and offices have already begun. "The temple committee has completed the primary Yatra preparations," he said, adding that logistical arrangements are being streamlined ahead of the shrine's reopening. The schedule for the Panchmukhi Doli (five-faced idol of Lord Shiva) procession was also announced. Ritual worship of Bhairavnath will be completed at Ukhimath on April 18. The Doli will depart from Omkareshwar Temple for Phata on April 19, halt at Gaurikund on April 20, and reach Kedarnath Dham on April 21, a day before the temple doors open to pilgrims. For the 2026 pilgrimage season, MT Gangadhar will assume charge as the chief priest at Kedarnath Dham. Shivshankar Ling will oversee worship arrangements for Shri Madmaheshwar Dham at Omkareshwar Temple, while Bagesh Ling will serve as an additional priest, BKTC officials said. Located at a height of nearly 3,500 meters above sea level, Kedarnath temple is located near the Mandakini river in Rudraprayag district. According to tradition, the shrine was built by Pandavas and revived by Adi Shankaracharya. The shrine was the worst affected area during the 2013 flash floods, with Kedarnath town suffering extensive damage. Char Dham shrines remain shut for around six months every year, opening in summers (April or May) and closing with the onset of winter (October or November)....