Decision to continue chardham yatra during winters welcomed

DEHRADUN: The tourism industry in Uttarakhand has welcomed the state government's decision to continue the chardham pilgrimage even in winters, saying the move will help revive the economy of the region hit hard by last year's natural calamity.
Tourism committees of Gangotri and Yamunotri dham and hoteliers of Yamuna valley at a meeting held in Uttarkashi yesterday commended the state government's decision saying it will help people in chardham area get employment for the whole year.

"It will be a boon for people associated with the tourism industry as the six month yatra season will now be extended to 12 months," Gangotri MLA Vijaypal Singh Sajwan said, adding it will help resuscitate tourism industry, the mainstay of the state's economy which was badly hit by last year's natural calamity.

Uttarkashi Hotel Cell chief Chandramohan Rana, Yamunaghati Hotel Association President Jagmohan Parmar and General Secretary Jyoti Prasad Uniyal expressed their gratitude to the state government for the decision.

In a novel move, the state government recently decided to start yatra to places where the chardham deities are worshipped during their winter sojourn after a proposal to this effect received the nod of priests and temple committees at a meeting with Chief Minister Harish Rawat on October 14.

The idols and symbols installed at Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri are removed to villages located in lower areas nearby to be worshipped during winter when the famous Himalayan shrines, also known as chardham, remain inaccessible due to heavy snowfall in the area.

Stakeholders at a meeting here on October 14 were unanimous in their view that apart from the annual yatra to the famous temples, a yatra to centres where the Hindu idols and symbols are kept during winter can also be started saying it will not be in violation of the centuries-old religious traditions and beliefs.

If yatra is conducted to the winter sojourns of the deities and symbols of the four shrines, it will be a new beginning and will make the yatra season in Uttarakhand an year-long affair.

The portals of chardhams are closed in October-November every year due to heavy snowfall in the area and are re-opened in April- May when the snow melts.