Mussoorie, May 3 -- The portals of Kedarnath Dham, nestled in Rudraprayag district, were opened for devotees on Friday amid the chanting of mantras and traditional rituals. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, witness to the occasion, offered prayers at the shrine, seeking happiness, prosperity, and peace for the state. The first prayers offered inside the sanctum sanctorum were dedicated to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said. The Kedarnath temple was exquisitely decorated for the portal opening ceremony, adorned with over dozens of quintals of flowers. As the gates opened amidst this grand floral display, helicopters showered petals on the devotees. The summer abode of Lord Kedarnath resonated with chants of "Har Har Mahadev", and the devotional tunes played by the band of the Grenadiers Regiment of the Indian Army as the temple portals opened at 7:00 am. The opening of the portals were marked by showering of flower petals on devotees from a Helicopter, said the Rudraprayag police. Devotees gathered at Kedarnath Dham experienced a captivating moment as flower petals rained down from a helicopter during the auspicious portal-opening ceremony. Expressing his happiness, chief minister Dhami extended his best wishes to the entire nation and emphasised that the opening of the Kedarnath Dham is an eagerly awaited moment for the state and the entire country. He highlighted that Kedarnath Dham is not only a major centre of religious faith for Sanatan Dharma followers but also a symbol of India's spiritual and cultural heritage. "This is a time of celebration for our state," he said, praying to the deity for the well-being of all pilgrims undertaking the yatra. Dhami said the increasing number of devotees are visiting Baba Kedar's abode each year, "This year's Char Dham Yatra would set new records, and the state government has made all necessary arrangements for the smooth and successful conduct of the Char Dham Yatra, prioritising the convenience, safety, and ease of travel for the pilgrims", he said He appealed to all Uttarakhand residents to welcome devotees from across the country and the world with warmth and a spirit of service. The chief minister also acknowledged Prime Minister Narendra Modi's deep devotion to Baba Kedarnath. He recalled the reconstruction work undertaken in Kedarnath under the Prime Minister's leadership after the 2013 disaster. He credited the Prime Minister's guidance for today's magnificent and grand development of the Kedarnath complex....