Chardham Yatra begins at Kedarnath

The Chardham Yatra began at Kedarnath on Monday with the opening of the temple for the annual pilgrimage. Chardham Yatra is constituted by visits to Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri pilgrimage for 6 months beginning in the Summer, as at other times the routes to these places would be closed by snow and chilling winter. On Monday, Vedic priests opened the Kedarnath temple amid chanting of the Vedas. Already hundreds of devotees had reached the mountain abode of Lord Shiva. Badrinath temple would be opened 2 days later.