A Shiv Udhyan (garden) behind the Kedarnath Temple in Kedar Valley to let pilgrims soak in the divinity of the shrine and four Chintan Sthals en route on the trek from Gaurikund to Kedarnath for pilgrims to meditate and rest — the union culture ministry will be executing these projects in eight months starting 2023.
News18 has exclusively accessed the blueprint of these projects that were discussed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Kedarnath and will cost Rs 118 crore. The PM had stressed on the construction and development of special facilities for pilgrims of Kedarnath Dham in the Kedarnath trek and the Kedar valley. The Chintan Sthals will come up at Rambara, Choti Lincholi, Badi Lincholi, and Channi Camp in scenic locations along the 18-km trek to Kedarnath from Gaurikund.
The Shiv Udhyan will have a big amphitheatre-style sitting area for pilgrims, green areas, and a retaining wall around it. The whole idea, a senior government official told News18, is to offer a complete spiritual experience to the pilgrims and make their visit to the Kedarnath temple more comfortable and enriching. The four Chintan Sthals will have meditative music playing for the pilgrims as well as be places for them to rest and recuperate. Display LED walls here will have visuals from the Kedarnath temple.
There are mostly private facilities for accommodation and rest en route right now. These moves also come amidst the PM’s urge to the authorities to construct more pilgrim facilities given the huge rush of devotees coming to Kedarnath now.
A record number of 14 lakh-plus pilgrims visited Kedarnath this year. There has also been a big increase in pilgrims visiting the rebuilt Samadhi of Adi Guru Shankaracharya, which was inaugurated by the PM last year at Kedarnath, along with the seer’s 12-foot statue. The Shiv Udhyan will be a new attraction.
The PM during his recent visit had also laid the foundation stone of a 9.7-km-long ropeway cable car service between Gaurikund and Kedarnath that will reduce the travel time between the two places from 6-7 hours at present, to only about 30 mins. Many pilgrims trek to Kedarnath, though a helicopter service is also available to ferry pilgrims. News18 had earlier reported that a record number of over 41 lakh pilgrims visited the Char Dhams (Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri) this year, breaking all the previous records.
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