Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered prayers at the famous Kedarnath and Badrinath temples in Uttarakhand on Friday.
After performing a puja at the Kedarnath temple in Rudraprayag district, the prime minister arrived at the Badrinath temple in Chamoli in a helicopter.
During his two-day tour of the state, Modi will inspect various ongoing development projects and lay the foundation stones for some new ones.
The prime minister performed the puja at the temples wearing a white traditional attire of the hill people with a swastika embroidered on it.
At Kedarnath, he also laid the foundation stone for the 9.7-km Gaurikund-Kedarnath ropeway project. Using the ropeway, devotees will be able to reach the temple from Gaurikund in 30 minutes.
The priests who performed the puja prayed for strength to the prime minister to take the country forward.
Modi also visited the Samadhi Sthal of Adi Guru Shankaracharya at Kedarnath and spent some time there.
At Badrinath Dham, he will review the progress of the development projects along the riverfront.
In the afternoon, Modi will lay the foundation stones for road and ropeway projects worth Rs 3,400 crore for the Kedarnath and Badrinath temples, and address a gathering at Mana village.
He will also review the progress of the beautification project of the Arrival Plaza and the lakes in the area.
The prime minister will spend the night at Badrinath.
Earlier in the day, the prime minister was received by Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Union minister Ajay Bhatt on his arrival at the Jolly Grant airport in Dehradun in an Indian Air Force (IAF) plane.
This is Modi's sixth visit to Kedarnath and second to Badrinath as the prime minister.
Security has been tightened around the two famous hill temples in view of the prime minister's visit. Both the temples have been decorated with quintals of flowers.
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Modi to pray at Ayodhya on Diwali eve
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh on the eve of Diwali on Sunday to have darshan and perform a puja at the Ram temple.
Modi will also inspect the construction site of a grand Ram temple and later, perform a symbolic coronation of Lord Ram, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
At around 6.30 pm, the prime minister will witness the aarti on the banks of the Saryu river, which will be followed by the launch of the grand Deepotsav celebrations by him, the statement said.
The sixth edition of Deepotsav is being held this year and it is for the first time that Modi will be participating in the celebrations.
More than 15 lakh diyas (earthen lamps) will be lit on the occasion.
Five animated tableaux and 11 Ramlila tableaux showcasing various dance forms from different states will also be prepared during Deepotsav.
Modi will also witness a 3-D 'holographic projection mapping show' at Ram Ki Paidi on the banks of the Saryu, along with a grand musical laser show, the PMO said.
