Mussoorie, May 5 -- The portals of the Badrinath Dham opened for devotees at 6am on Sunday, with priests chanting Vedic mantras, which were accompanied by beats of traditional drums. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami marked the occasion by performing the first "Maha Abhishek Puja" in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, offering prayers for the prosperity and well-being of the country and the state. He also offered prayers at other temples within the complex, including the Lakshmi Mandir, Ganesh Mandir, and the Adi Guru Shankaracharya Gaddi. Around 15,000 devotees from across the country and the world were present to witness the ceremonial opening. Dhami greeted the pilgrims and devotees, taking feedback from them regarding the yatra arrangements. He said, "The state government is making efforts at every level to ensure a safe, smooth Char Dham yatra with enhanced facilities for the convenience of the pilgrims and all devotees visiting the Devbhoomi (Land of Gods) Uttarakhand are urged to extend their full cooperation in maintaining a green and clean Char Dham yatra." The chief minister also reviewed the ongoing Badrinath Master Plan works with Chamoli district magistrate (DM) Sandeep Tiwari, inspecting construction activities near the temple. He directed the DM to ensure the timely completion of the master plan projects while maintaining high quality. Expressing satisfaction with the current travel arrangements at Badrinath Dham, he instructed the DM and superintendent of police to make robust arrangements for pilgrims' convenience and security. Dhami also inquired about the preparations for the upcoming Shri Hemkund Sahib yatra and directed officials to arrange pilgrims' facilities promptly. He also sought information on the construction progress of the bridge over the Alaknanda River at Govindghat, ordering the Chamoli DM to conduct a site inspection and ensure the quality construction and its completion before the Hemkund Sahib yatra commences on 25 May. The CM in his message on social media said, "It was my good fortune to participate in the portal opening ceremony of Shri Badrinath Dham, the sacred land of Shri Hari Vishnu. Upon reaching this divine shrine nestled in the lap of the Himalayas, I experienced that sublime feeling of spiritual energy and faith, which has eternally been the centre of devotion for millions of pilgrims." Last year 1.4 million devotees visited Badrinath shrine, while the number of devotees in 2023 was 1.8 million. Badarinath, located in Chamoli district along the banks of the Alaknanda river at a height of 3,133 metre, is one of the holiest shrines for Hindus, especially Vaishnavites. It is also part of Panch Badri temples, including Yog Dhyan Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Adi Badri and Vriddha Badri. The temple is around 50 feet tall with a small cupola on top, covered with a gold gilt roof. Meanwhile, Dhami participated in the Ram Katha on Sunday at Nandprayag, the sacred confluence of the Alaknanda and Nandakini rivers, as per a release the chief minister's office (CMO). Speaking at the event, the CM said it was his good fortune to witness the Santvani during the spiritual gathering, which he described as a divine medium for awakening spiritual consciousness and life values through the ideals of Lord Shri Ram....