PM Modi's message as Char Dham Yatra begins: Keep clean, support local businesses, follow rules

As the portals of Kedarnath Dham opened on Wednesday Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon pilgrims visiting Uttarakhand to maintain cleanliness support the Vocal for Local initiative by purchasing indigenous products and adhere strictly to rules and regulations throughout the Char Dham YatraThe opening of Kedarnath Dham took place amid Vedic chants and resonating cheers of Har Har Mahadev marking a key moment in the annual pilgrimage season and allowing devotees to offer prayers at one of Hinduisms most revered shrinesDevotees from across the country gathered in large numbers to witness the occasion and seek blessings at the sacred templeIn a letter addressed to the nation the Prime Minister said The Char Dham Yatra has commenced on the sacred soil of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand On April 19 the portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri Dham opened and starting today the pilgrimage to Kedarnath Dham begins On April 23 the portals of Badrinath Dham will also open for devoteesDescribing the spiritual significance of the journey he said This sacred pilgrimage to the four Dhams marked by the mere darshan of Baba Kedar is a magnificent celebration of Indias rich cultural consciousness Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya gave a new direction to Indian culture through his pilgrimages to Badrinath and Kedarnath Jagadguru Ramanujacharya and Guru Gorakhnath too strengthened this rich spiritual tradition through their travels and stays in the regionThe Prime Minister noted that the four Dhams remain the focal points of our eternal faith and bring together people from every corner of the countryPeople representing every language diversity tradition and culture come together as one further realising the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Through this pilgrimage we expand the scope of our nations traditions he saidReferring to ancient scriptures he highlighted that undertaking the Char Dham Yatra is believed to carry immense spiritual merit equivalent to visiting multiple pilgrimage sites over several yearsEmphasising development he said that a Viksit Uttarakhand is crucial for achieving the broader goal of a Viksit BharatA few years ago we were all deeply distressed by the calamity that struck at the very doorstep of Baba Kedar However today Uttarakhand is continuously forging ahead on a new path of development The state is currently setting new benchmarks in the fields of tourism spirituality and economic progress he saidHe added that improved infrastructure has made the pilgrimage more accessible and secure Thanks to improved roads healthcare services and communication facilities the overall experience for pilgrims has also significantly improved he notedAt the same time he stressed the need to preserve the regions ecological balanceEfforts are being made to promote tourism while simultaneously safeguarding Uttarakhands rich natural heritage I would also like to urge every pilgrim visiting Uttarakhand to maintain cleanliness in their surroundings throughout this journey Instead of travelling in private vehicles please utilise public transport and support the Vocal for Local initiative by purchasing local products he saidFor the Char Dham Yatra the Prime Minister urged devotees to follow key principles such as cleanliness environmental sensitivity cooperation and disciplineMaintain cleanliness at the Dhams and along the pilgrimage routes Contribute your share towards keeping the rivers clean Refrain from using singleuse plastics and uphold the sanctity of these holy shrines he saidHe further called for mindful travel in the fragile Himalayan ecosystem Undertake your journey with due regard for the fragile ecology of the Himalayas Contribute to environmental conservation through initiatives such as Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam he addedHighlighting the broader spirit of the pilgrimage he said it is not merely about seeking darshan but also a means to foster a spirit of service and social harmonyEven today people continue to render selfless service without any discrimination Initiatives such as Yatra Marg Seva inspire us to step forward and assist others he saidHe also encouraged pilgrims to support local livelihoods Prioritise local products during your travels Support local artisans and businesses thereby strengthening their livelihoods he saidCalling for responsible conduct he added Abide by the rules and regulations of the pilgrimage Respect the security protocols and conduct yourself as a responsible citizen throughout your journeyRecalling his personal experience the Prime Minister said I recently had the privilege of visiting Kedarnath and Badrinath Dham myself The experiences I had there left me deeply overwhelmed I am confident that all of you too will have a truly wonderful spiritual experience during this pilgrimage I extend my warmest wishes to you all for this sacred journeyThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever