The sesame oil used for the consecration of Lord Badri Vishal on the occasion of the opening of the doors of Shri Badrinath Dham will now be threaded at the Narendranagar Palace on April 25. On 25th April, this Kalash (Gadu pitcher) of sesame oil will leave for Badrinath Dham from Narendranagar Rajmahal.
The Shri Badrinath Dham Gadu Ghada Oil Kalash Yatra commenced from Narendra Nagar Raj Darbar on the late evening of 25th April. On May 7th, the Tel Kalash will arrive at the Lakshminarayan Temple of Dimmer, the ancestral village of Dimri priests. On the 8th, the yatra proceeded to Pakhi village via Simli, Karnaprayag, where the oil is poured into the pitcher. The journey continues to Narasimha Temple, Joshimath, and on the 10th, it will reach Yogdhyan Temple Pandukeshwar for the night stay, alongside Adi Guru Shankaracharya’s throne, Rawal (Chief Priest) of Badrinath, Dharmadhikari, and Vedapathis. The Yatra will culminate at Badrinath Dham on the evening of 11th May, with the doors of the Dham set to open for devotees on 12th May
What is Gaadu Ghada Yatra (गाडू घड़ा यात्रा)?
Under the leadership of Mala Rajyalakshmi Shah in the Royal Residence located in Narendranagar, sesame oil was extracted traditionally from traditional crusher and hand. To maintain this tradition, sesame oil is extracted by the married women’s of Royal Family and Dimri Family. According to this old tradition, the oil extracted from Sesame seeds are used in coating the statue of Lord Badrinath and also used to Lit Akhand Jyoti in Badrinath Temple. This tradition is considered to be the beginning of the process of opening the Doors of Badrinath Dham. After extracting the oil, it is inserted into a pitcher (घड़ा) called Gaadu Ghara (गाडू घड़ा). After this, the pitcher or oil reaches Badrinath Dham via Rishikesh and through major cities of Garhwal. This is known as Gaadu Ghada Yatra (गाडू घड़ा यात्रा) or Tel Kalash Yatra (तेल कलश यात्रा).
Published Date: April 24, 2021
