New Delhi, May 15 (IANS): The doors of Gangotri Dham were opened with full religious rituals at 7.30 a.m. on Saturday morning during the auspicious occasion of Baishakh Shukla Tritiya. The idol of mother Ganga reached the Bhairon Ghati on Friday. Mother Ganga's Doli left for Gangotri Dham at 4 a.m. on Saturday. On this occasion, the aarti (puja) of Mother Ganga was performed wishing good luck for mankind. Due to the postponement of the Char Dham Yatra, the doors of the four dhams were opened in a symbolic way.

Only those people performing the tradition of puja are allowed to visit the Dhams. The prayers will continue in the dhams daily. Covid protocols were duly followed during the opening of the doors of the four dhams.

On this occasion, a few people of Gangotri Mandir Samiti, Sub-Divisional Officer, Special Officer of Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Management Board were present. Earlier, the doors of Yamunotri Dham have been opened and the doors of Kedarnath Dham will be opened on Monday. On Saturday, the 'Panchmukhi Doli' of Lord of Kedarnath reached Kedarnath.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat has said that the Char Dham Yatra has been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. If the situation returns to normal the Char Dham Yatra will begin. Devotees must offer prayers at their home.

The Char Dham Devasthanam Board's Additional Chief Executive is going with the 'Panchmukhi Doli'. Harish Goud of Char Dham Devasthanam Board informed that the doors of Badrinath Dham would be opened on Tuesday. While the doors of the second Madhyamaheshwar ji will be opened on May 24, the third Tungnath ji and the fourth Rudranath ji will be opened on Monday. The date of opening of the doors of Hemkund Sahib and Laxman Temple have not been decided yet.

Earlier on Friday, the doors of Yamunotri Dham were opened on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya.