Portals of Badrinath opened for devotees

The portals of Badrinath here were opened amid a recital of vedic hymns early today with pilgrims turning up in large numbers at the Himalayan shrine to get a glimpse of the unbroken flame. Pilgrims and locals braved the morning chill and congregated in front of the temple’s entrance even before the doors were opened at 4.30 am by chief priest Ishwari Prasad Namboodiri. Temple committee officials were also present for the opening ceremony. Delighted devotees sang devotional songs to the beats of Dhol-Damau and rent the air with chants of ‘Jai Badri Vishal’ as the ceremonial opening of the temple took place in the small hours. It was a chilly morning in Badrinath because of intermittent rains in the area over the past few days, but this did not dampen the spirit of pilgrims whose number on the first day crossed 2,000, temple committee CEO B D Singh said.