ETV Bharat exclusive: Uttarakhand winter Chardham Yatra begins from Haridwar

Dehradun:  The winter Chardham Yatra started in Uttarakhand from Haridwar on December 27. Before starting the winter yatra, Swami Avimukteshwaranand offered prayers to Goddess Ganga at Chandighat for a successful winter Chardham Yatra. After the offerings were completed, a team under the leadership of Jyotishpeeth Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwarananda Saraswati set out and reached Kharsali, the winter seat of Mother Yamuna. The team received a warm and grand welcome after reaching the temple complex at Kharsali following which Shankaracharya offered aarti and worshipped river Yamuna. 

The next morning, Shankaracharya had a darshan of Someshwar Maharaj and Rajarajeshwari Devi and also toured the village. Shankaracharya underscored the need to represent the Sanatan Dharma globally. He hailed the sages and saints, who had taken forward the legacy of this pilgrimage and urged that this culture be maintained even during harsh winters. 

"I am undertaking a pilgrimage to the places of worship in winter, following the traditions established by Adi Guru Shankaracharya. This is the first time in the history of the Adiguru Shankaracharya tradition that the Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth is undertaking a pilgrimage to the places of worship of the Char Dhams in Uttarakhand," he said. The view of the mountains looked spectacular and people joined the yatra at various spots.