Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi on Sunday visited the revered Kedarnath Dham and offered prayers at the sacred temple, seeking blessings from Lord Mahadev. His spiritual visit marks yet another in a series of high-profile pilgrimages to the Himalayan shrine this season.
General Dwivedi’s visit follows that of Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, who visited the temple on Friday with his family. “Today, I left from Sahastradhara helipad, Dehradun with my family to visit Kedarnath Dham, one of the four Dhams,” Manjhi wrote on X, sharing his spiritual journey.
Earlier on June 2, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also visited Kedarnath with her family. She expressed gratitude for the opportunity and said, “I feel fortunate to offer prayers at Kedarnath Dham. I pray Baba Kedar grants me strength to work for the development of Delhi and contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat.”
The Kedarnath Dham Yatra for 2025 began on May 2, and by June 1, over seven lakh pilgrims had already undertaken the challenging 20-kilometre trek to the 11th Jyotirlinga nestled in the Himalayas. An average of 24,000 devotees arrive daily for darshan.
Authorities have implemented several measures to improve accessibility and safety. Shuttle services between Sonprayag and Kedarpuri have generated around ₹7 crore so far, and 25 vehicles have been reserved exclusively for women and the elderly as part of a new initiative, which may expand based on public response.
Horses and mules continue to be vital for transporting pilgrims, especially the elderly and differently abled, as well as for carrying essential supplies to Kedarpuri.
Kedarnath Dham remains one of India’s most spiritually significant and physically demanding pilgrimages, drawing lakhs of faithful each year.