PM Narendra Modi on Friday visited the Himalayan shrine of Kedarnath ahead of its closure for the next six months.
A day after Diwali, the prime minister sat in the sanctum sanctorum, offered prayers and performed the rudrabhishek.
He was welcomed at the airport by Uttarakhand Governor KK Paul, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and other state and central government officials.
- PM Narendra Modi addressed gathering at Kedarnath Temple: AS IT HAPPENED
- Building modern infrastructure in Kedarnath but the traditional soul will be preserved and will ensure environment laws not flouted.
- Dream to make Uttarakhand an organic state.
- Organic farming to begin to by 2022.
- Fortunate to rebuild Kedarnath shrine.
- But now through the development we are doing in Kedarnath, we want to show how an ideal pilgrimage site should be.
- Development will be environment friendly.
- Will devote myself to fulfil dream of a developed India by 2022.
- Mandakini ghats to be developed.
- 2013 floods made me really sad.
- When floods of 2013 occurred I was not PM, I was Gujarat CM. I offered to help in rebuilding but Centre became nervous.
- Jan Seva is Prabhu Seva. From this holy land of Kedarnath, I seek the blessings of Bhole Baba.
- I convey my greetings to everyone around the world who mark the start of Nutan Varsh.
- Warmest wishes to all on Diwali.
10:00 am: PM Narendra Modi reaches Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand.
09:50 am: PM Modi is also likely to address a gathering near the famed temple located around 11, 660 feet above the sea level, party sources said.
09:48 am: Ahead of PM Modi's visit, the temple has been lit up with electric lights and flowers and there is a lot of activity.
09:35 am: Security has been tightened around the Jollygrant airport where the prime minister is likely to arrive around 8.30 am before leaving for Kedarnath, DIG Garhwal Range Pushpak Jyoti said.
09:32 am: Elaborate security arrangements have also been made at Kedarnath in view of the prime minister's visit, the DIG said.
09:28 am: Uttarakhand Governor KK Paul, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh will accompany Modi to the Himalayan temple which is scheduled to close for the winters at 8 am on Saturday.
09:15 am: This is the second visit of the prime minister to the shrine this season. He had visited it on May 3 when its gates had been reopened after the winter break.
09:02 am: Kedarnath was ravaged by flash floods in 2013, killing thousands.
