Modi offers prayers at Kedarnath temple, unveils Shankaracharya Statue

DEHRADUN: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated various re-development projects worth Rs 130 crores in Kedarnath.

These projects include Saraswati Retaining Wall Aasthapath and Ghats, Mandakini Retaining Wall Aasthapath, Tirth Purohit Houses and Garud Chatti bridge on river Mandakini.

Earlier today, he unveiled the statue of Adi Shankaracharya at the premises of the Kedarnath Temple in Rudraprayag district.

The Samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya has been reconstructed after its destruction in the 2013 Uttarakhand floods.

Before the inauguration, the Prime Minister offered prayers and performed 'aarti' at the ancient temple. He paid obeisance to Lord Shiva and undertook circumambulation of the Kedarnath shrine after offering prayers.

Located on the bank of the Mandakini river, Kedarnath Temple is the of the four ancient pilgrimage sites referred to as 'Char Dham' which also include Yamunotri, Gangotri and Badrinath. Built in the 8th century AD by Jagad Guru Adi Shankaracharya, Kedarnath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to address a public rally during his visit to the shrine. His visit comes ahead of the 2022 Assembly polls in the state.

Modi was received at the Dehradun airport by Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (retd), Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and his cabinet colleagues Subodh Uniyal and Ganesh Joshi, besides Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Premchand Aggarwal.

Unveiling of the statue will be streamed live at the 12 jyotirlingas, four Shankaracharya mutts (monasteries), his birthplace and several prominent temples across the country.

Kedarpuri reconstruction is considered the prime minister's dream project whose progress is reviewed personally by him at regular intervals.