DEHRADUN: The sacred portals of Hemkund Sahib, a revered Sikh shrine in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, officially opened to devotees at 10 am on Sunday, marking the start of the annual pilgrimage season.
Led by the 'Panj Pyaras', approximately 5,000 devotees gathered to witness the much-anticipated moment.
Dedicated to Shri Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru, the shrine holds profound spiritual significance for Sikhs.
Preparations for the opening began on Saturday with a Shabd Kirtan and the Bhog ceremony of the Akhand Path at the Govindghat Gurudwara.
Early Sunday morning, the first batch of pilgrims, led by the 'Panj Pyaras' and accompanied by a band from Punjab and the Army, commenced their journey towards Hemkund Sahib from Govindghat.
Chanting "Jo Boley Sonihal, Sat Sri Akaal," groups of devotees, known as 'jathas', made their way up the arduous path before the official opening ceremony.
Narinderjeet Singh Bindra, president of the Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara Trust, informed TNIE, "Alongside Shri Hemkund Sahib, the portals of Lokpal Temple, a symbol of Hindu faith, were also opened with customary rituals."
The challenging pilgrimage to Hemkund Sahib involves a two-stage journey - a 3 km trek from Govind Ghat to Pulna, followed by a steep 6 km climb to Ghangria.
Pilgrims typically stay overnight at Ghangria before continuing their final ascent to Hemkund Sahib on foot. Perched at an impressive 14,200 feet above sea level in the Himalayas, Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib stands as one of the world's highest spiritual destinations, offering solace to countless Sikh devotees.
Looking at the broader pilgrimage season, the high-altitude Sikh shrine welcomed 183,692 devotees in 2024, according to data from the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board's Yatra Division.
While this represents a significant turnout, it did not surpass the all-time record of 240,133 pilgrims who undertook the challenging journey in 2019.