New Tehri, May 6 (PTI) The Tehri royal family on Monday performed “pattabhishek” of Badrinath dham’s chief priest Ishwari Prasad Namboodiri, reviving an old historical tradition after a gap of 47 years.
The last pattabhishek was performed in 1977 of the Himalayan temple’s chief priest (Rawal) T Keshavan Namboodiri.
The doors of Badrinath Dham are being opened for devotees on May 12.
On the initiative of Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee, after performing puja of Raj Purohit Krishna Prasad Uniyal in Tehri Rajdarbar, the pattabhishek of the chief priest was performed by Maharaja Manujendra Shah, Queen Mala Rajyalakshmi Shah and Princess Shrija.
The priest was made to wear a gold bangle on his hand and was gifted clothes as part of the ceremony.
Temple committee chairman Ajendra Ajay was also present during the ceremony.
Harish Gaur, media in-charge of the Temple Committee, said that before the Temple Committee Act 1939, Rawal was appointed by Maharaja Tehri and this tradition was followed.
Pattabhishek and making Rawal wear the gold bangle is a historical and cultural symbol of that tradition. PTI COR ALM NB
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