Kedarnath temple may don a new look as locals find divine intervention in the huge rock which fell at the temple site protecting the shrine and many devoteed who hid behind it when the June calamity hit Uttarakhand.
As the religious shrine opened up to devotees on Wednesday morning amid chanting of vedic hymns, government officials said the temple site is exuding rays of hope and revival given the devout belief of the locals that the boulders did not actually bring destruction but saved not only the shrine but many lives as well. Given the firm belief of the devotees, the government has roped in the Geological Survey of India (GSI) to determine whether the presence of the huge boulder near the shrine will not weaken the structure. If the GSI report is favourable, the Archaeological Survey of India along with the state government may allow the boulder to become part of the worshipping site at the world-renowned shrine.
“It is important that the puja has taken place today. By October-end, we hope the yatris will be able to reach here. It is a long drawn process, but once the revival and restoration work is complete, the Kedarnath shrine will be a model and a world-class shrine,” former home secretary and NDMA member V.K. Duggal said. Mr Duggal is the government-appointed coordinator for relief and rescue operations in Uttarakhand.
Government sources said the locals have begun worshipping the rock at the Kedarnath shrine and few other boulders demanding that these should not be removed during the restoration work. “The heavy rocks, present at the temple site, have gained religious sentiment,” a senior home ministry official said.
As the temple restoration work is put on a fast track, the second most important priority of the Central and state government is to clear the area , open up the tracks, and then focus on the road connectivity which had virtually cut off the flood-ravaged areas .