Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kedarnath, Uttarakhand, on 5 November. and offer prayers at the Kedarnath Temple. He will also inaugurate Shri Adi Shankaracharya’s Samadhi and unveil the statue of Shri Adi Shankaracharya.
The Samadhi has been reconstructed after the destruction in the 2013 floods, according to a Ministry of Culture note here sharing the itinerary of Modi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also address a public meeting besides inaugurating key infrastructure projects which have been completed, including Saraswati Retaining Wall Aasthapath and Ghats, Mandakini Retaining Wall Aasthapath, Tirth Purohit Houses and Garud Chatti bridge on river Mandakini. The projects have been completed at a cost of over Rs. 130 crore.
Modi will also lay the foundation stone for multiple projects worth over Rs 180 crore, including the Redevelopment of Sangam Ghat, First Aid and Tourist Facilitation Centre, Admin Office and Hospital, two Guest Houses, Police Station, Command & Control Centre, Mandakini Aasthapath Queue Management and Rainshelter and Saraswati Civic Amenity Building. Prime Minister will also review and inspect the ongoing works along the Saraswati Aasthapath.
After the natural disaster in Kedarnath in 2013, the reconstruction work was started in 2014. The entire reconstruction work at Kedarnath has been undertaken under the personal guidance of the Prime Minister, who has constantly reviewed and monitored the progress of the project and given his vision for the re-development works there, according to the ministry.
On the occasion, programmes will also be organized at the Jyotirlingas & Jyotishpeeth across the country including Char Dhams(Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameshwaram). The programme will include the customary morning Aarti followed by Vedic chanting.
The Ministry of Culture will organize cultural events at either premises of Jyotirlingas /Jyotishpeeth or nearby venue. The programmes will include Kirtan/Bhajan/Shiva Stuti in the local language or Sanskrit followed by a Classical dance performance based on Shiva Tandav or Ardhanreshwar Roop. There will also be Classical instrumental performance with Veena, Violin, Flute.
Union Minister of Culture, Tourism and DONER, G Kishan Reddy will lead the programme at the Shankracharya Temple in Kalady, Kerala, which is the birthplace of Adi Shankaracharya. Programmes will be organised near the temple venue including rzecitation of Adi Shankaracharya’s composition by Department of Music, Shri Shankaracharya Sanskrit University, Kalady and Classical dance (Bharatnatyam and Mohiniattam) performance on Adi Shankaracharya’s composition by Department of Dance, Shri Shankaracharya Sanskrit University, Kalady among others.
The Union Ministry of Tourism has completed several works under ‘Integrated development of Kedarnath’ under PRASHAD scheme. Under the integrated project, several project components such as Economic Hygienic Food Shop, Toilet Block, Eco Log Interpretation Center, Informative Signage, SnaanGhat at Rudraprayag; Parking, Sitting Arrangements, Solar LED Street Light, Toilet Block, Directional Signage at Tilwara; Sitting Arrangement, 3 Rest Shelter,2View Point, Protection Walls, Toilet Block, Parking at Augustmuni; Eco Log Huts, Interpretation Center, Prasad Shops, Multilevel Parking at Ukhimath; Solar LED Street Light, Solid Waste Management at Guptakashi; Food Kiosk, Retaining Wall, at Kalimath; Sitting Arrangement, Tourist Information Center, Solar LED Street Light at Sitapur have been completed. IEC at seven places including CCTV, Surveillance, Wi-Fi Installation have also been completed under the project.. All approved interventions of the project have been successfully completed in June 2021.The sanctioned project cost for the integrated development of Kedarnath project is Rs. 34.78 cr.
Kedarnath is coming up as an attractive and popular tourist destination. The Meditation Cave, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent 17 hours in solitude, has become a centre of attraction for devotees. The government has prepared this ancient cave under the reconstruction project for meditation in front of Bhairavnath Temple. It was after the PM’s meditation session that the cave became popular among Indian and international pilgrims.
Three more caves are also being developed at Kedarnath Dham by the local administration. These three caves are being built at an altitude of around 12,500 feet near Kedarnath so that devotees can meditate in solitude and peace, according to the Cultural ministry.