The doors of the revered Kedarnath Dham opened to pilgrims on Tuesday morning amid chanting of shlokas (hymns) and loud drumbeats. The abode of Lord Shiva, Kedarnath Dham, which is also one of the country’s holiest pilgrimage sites, was decorated with 20 quintals of flowers ahead of its opening today.

However, the state government in Uttarakhand has halted the process of accepting registration applications from pilgrims for the Kedarnath Dham Yatra. The decision was taken in light of heavy snowfall on the pilgrimage route and after the Meteorological department issued warnings of inclement weather conditions in the coming days.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an alert for heavy snowfall on the route leading to Kedarnath Dham for pilgrims which has led to the state government’s decision to stop accepting applications.

According to an official statement, the weather is expected to remain inclement in Kedarghati over this week. The statement read, “The weather is expected to remain bad in Kedarghati for the next one week. On the alert of the Meteorological Department, the state government has stopped the registration of the visit to Kedarnath Dham. The heavy snowfall in Kedarnath has created difficulties for the administration.”

“Registration of pilgrims for the Kedarnath pilgrimage has been stopped in view of the snowfall of three to four feet on the Kedarnath pedestrian route and Dham and the warning by the Mete Department,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, the first batch of pilgrims has left Haridwar for the Char Dham Yatra on Saturday. On the auspicious occasion of Akshay Tritiya, the holy Yatra began from the Yamunotri Dham.