BADRINATH, May 4 -- The sacred portals of the Badrinath temple in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district were thrown open to devotees on Sunday morning after a six-month winter closure, heralding the full commencement of this year's Char Dham Yatra.

The doors of the revered shrine, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, were opened at 6 am amid Vedic chants and elaborate rituals. The temple was beautifully adorned with 15 tons of assorted flowers, and the Indian Army band added to the spiritual atmosphere with devotional music.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, BJP state president Mahendra Bhatt, and Tehri MLA Kishore Upadhyay were present during the ceremonial opening. Special worship was performed by the chief priest (Rawal), Dharmadhikari, ...