The sacred Gadu Ghada (oil urn) Yatra for Lord Badrinath’s ceremonial anointment commenced on Tuesday from the Tehri royal court in Narendra Nagar. The ritual began with traditional prayers, where Tehri MP Maharani Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, Princess Shreeja, and other married women prepared the sesame oil as per customs.
Following Vedic rituals conducted under the guidance of Acharya Krishan Prasad Uniyal, office bearers of the Dimri Religious Central Panchayat dispatched the sacred urn toward Badrinath Dham. This marks the formal beginning of the Badrinath pilgrimage for the season. The shrine will open for devotees at 6 AM on May 4.
In a grand ritual, the prepared oil was handed over to the Dimri Panchayat by Tehri royal ManuJyendra Shah after a divine aarti involving 1,000 lamps. This oil will be used for the deity’s anointment throughout the next six months.
The Gadu Ghada Yatra will pass through Rishikesh, Tapovan, Kaudiyala, Devprayag, Srinagar, and Rudraprayag, reaching Dimmer village in Karnaprayag. The sacred urn will finally arrive at Badrinath Dham on May 3.
