'Rashtra Rishi' Narendra Modi inaugurates Patanjali research institute of Ramdev (VIDEOS)

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Dehradun at about 8 am on Wednesday, May 3 he visited the Kedarnath temple to offer his prayers. The doors of the sacred shrine in the Himalayas have been opened for the devotees after a six-month long break.

Modi was the first person to visit the shrine this season. The temple is one of the four most important shrines in the Chardham circuit.

"Tomorrow I will be visiting Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand. I will begin my Uttarakhand visit by praying at the Kedarnath Temple," PM Modi had tweeted a day ahead of his visit.

After offering his prayers, Modi also addressed a group of supporters who had gathered outside the shrine this morning. He even gifted a miniature replica of the temple. Modi also inaugurated a research centre at Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar at 12 pm.

Patanjali Research Institute is believed to be India's first organisation in India to conduct clinical trials as per international standards in the field of Ayurveda.

Yoga Guru Ramdev honoured Narendra Modi by addressing him as Rashtra Rishi who has made India proud on the World stage.

According to PTI, President Pranab Mukherjee will also be visiting Uttarakhand in the first week of May to offer prayers at Kedarnath and Badrinath. The portals of the Badrinath shrine will be reopened on May 6.

Ahead of the visit of the two eminent dignitaries, Governor K K Paul had held a high-level meeting with officials, including Chief Secretary S Ramaswamy and DGP MA Ganpati. Besides reviewing the administrative preparedness he also focused on the security arrangements.

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and state Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj, has also visited the shrine to take a look at the lodging and medical facilities available for the devotees.