Mussoorie, April 24 -- The portals of Badrinath Dham in Chamoli district were opened for devotees on Thursday at 6.15 am amid Vedic chants and traditional rituals. Around 15,000 pilgrims from across the country and abroad gathered at the temple site to witness the ceremonial opening and seek blessings of Lord Badri Vishal and the sacred Akhand Jyoti, officials said. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami performed the first Mahabhishek puja on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, praying for the prosperity and well-being of the nation and the state. After the main ceremony, Dhami offered prayers at the Lakshmi Temple, Ganesh Temple and the seat of Adi Shankaracharya within the temple complex. The chief minister also interacted with pilgrims and took feedback on travel arrangements, reiterating the state government's commitment to ensuring a safe and smooth pilgrimage. Women from nearby villages, including Mana and Bamni, performed traditional Jagar and Jhumailo dances in the temple courtyard, adding a cultural touch to the occasion. The CM also inaugurated a community kitchen organised by the Manav Seva Ishwar Seva Utthan Samiti and shared a meal with pilgrims. District magistrate (DM) Gaurav Kumar and superintendent of police (SP) Surjit Singh Panwar inspected the arrangements along with Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee chief executive officer Vishal Mishra. "The administration is working under the directives of the chief minister to ensure a seamless pilgrimage experience, and all necessary steps have been taken to provide modern facilities and security to devotees," Kumar said....