The winter pilgrimage began on Thursday with ceremonial and chanted chants at the Omkareshwar Temple, the seat of the Panch Kedar. On this occasion, a Kalash Yatra was taken out from the GMVN Ukhimath campus to the Omkareshwar Temple, in which Mahila Mangal Dal, Yuva Mangal Dal, and students from various schools participated. The Kalash Yatra showcased cultural traditions, while devotees welcomed the Yatra along the route with a shower of flowers. After the Yatra reached the temple, Kedarnath MLA Asha Nautiyal, Badri-Kedar Temple Committee Vice President Vijay Kapravan, and District Magistrate Prateek Jain inaugurated the winter pilgrimage by performing a ritualistic puja at the temple.
On this occasion, Kedarnath MLA Asha Nautiyal expressed her prayers to Lord Omkareshwar for the happiness and prosperity of all the people of the region and the state. She added that last year, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami himself had visited the Omkareshwar Temple to inaugurate the Yatra. This year too, the Yatra has been started with the same enthusiasm and grandeur. He said that it is expected that this year more number of devotees will come to visit Lord Omkareshwar as compared to last year.
District Magistrate Prateek Jain said that keeping in mind the winter Yatra, all necessary arrangements have been ensured. All arrangements for roads, drinking water, electricity, parking and security have been made in time. He said that the winter Yatra will also strengthen the local economy of the district. Shivshankar Ling, the chief priest of Omkareshwar Temple, said that this temple is the seat of Panch Kedar. By visiting here, one gets the virtue of visiting Lord Kedarnath.
