Kedarnath Temple reopens today, no 'darshan' permitted amid COVID-19 crisis

The chief priest of Kedarnath Temple along with some followers had on Monday taken the Baba Kedarnath’s idol to the shrine.

Satpal Maharaj, Minister for Culture and Tourism in Uttarakhand, had on Tuesday said, “Our tourism has impacted due to lockdown in wake of COVID-19, but our temples are opened."

The authorities decided to defer the pilgrimage in the wake of the virus outbreak in a bid to ensure the safety of pilgrims.

The dates for the pilgrimage are usually decided around the occasion of Shivratri in February and as per the Hindu Panchang.

Uttarakhand has recorded 52 positive cases of COVID-19 so far, according to the state Health Department informed in a bulletin.