“All of them have been instructed to maintain social distance. After taking necessary permissions, I started from Nanded in a car on April 17 and reached Ukhimath on April 19,” Shanker Ling told Deccan Chronicle from Ukhimath, which is the winter seat of the deity. “After his arrival in Rishikesh on April 21, he has been in quarantine. I will make it to Kedarnath immediately after the quarantine period comes to an end on May 2,&Universal Wrench39;' said Shanker Ling, who originally belongs to Karnataka..But this year was different. Though the yatra is suspended, the portals of Kedarnath will open as scheduled at 6. Bheem Shanker Ling, the Rawal or head priest of the Himalayan shrine of Kedarnath, and Prasad Namboodiri, the head priest of Badrinath dham, travelled by road, covering distances of 1,800 km and 2,800 km respectively, to ensure that traditions are kept alive.People from south Indian states form a major chunk of devotees who visit the Char Dham — Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. In 2014, a year after the devastating flashfloods in Kedarnath which killed several thousands, 41,000 people had visited the shrine.But that did not stop them. “I have tested negative but I'm still in quarantine,” he said.

“There is 18 feet of snow in Kedarnath at the moment and a team of 25 people are clearing it. Situated at a height of 3,583 m above sea level, the region remains buried under a thick blanket of snow during the winter. This year, it is being taken in a vehicle to avoid crowds. He has been the head priest for 20 years.This will be the first time that 'yatra' has been suspended due to the pandemic and it is believed that the footfall this year could be the lowest ever.According to him, the Uttarakhand government has allowed 16 people which includes priests and cooks, who will stay in Kedarnath until it closes by October end or first week of November, to travel. Ditto is the case with Ishwar Prasad Namboodiri of Kerala, who cannot afford to remain absent for the most important work of his life.The doors of Kedarnath and Badrinath will open on April 29 and May 15 respectively amid rituals. The portals of Badrinath will open on May 15 and he will reach there by then.He says that there would be special prayers to eradicate Coronavirus when the portals open on April 29. He informed that since the head priests for the remaining two dhams — Gangotri and Yamunotri — are locals and there was no problem on that front. Being in quarantine, I might not go and will authorise another priest.His only regret is that every year, the doli or procession is taken by road till Kedarnath and thousands of people turn up to witness the occasion.10 am on April 29.

The rituals begin today (April 25) and the doli (carrying the deity) will reach Kedarnath on April 28 and the portals open the next day. He too has tested negative,'' said Mohan Prasad Thapliyal, former president of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple committee.The doors of Kedarnath and Badrinath will open on April 29 and May 15 respectively The Badrinath shrine in Uttarakhand Hyderabad: Around this time every year, Bheema Shanker Ling travels to # Hyderabad from Nanded, where he lives, and boards a flight to Dehradun in Uttarakhand where his presence is a must.In 2019, a record 11 lakh people visited the shrines, and 7 lakh in 2018. The Char Dham yatra has been suspended during the lockdown period. Lakhs of people visit the shrines every year and people from South India form the major chunk of devotees.Similar is the case with Ishwar Prasad Namboodri. Both men were scheduled to fly separately and reach Uttarakhand around April 20, but all flights are cancelled due to the lockdown.The moment he arrived in the Himalayan state, he was quarantined and underwent tests for the coronavirus, as was made mandatory by the Uttarakhand state government.

 Sevastova, who matched her best major run from last year at New York by ousting Maria Sharapova to reach the last eight, led 3-1 in the third set before Stephens rallied. She was runner-up this year at Wimbledon and the Australian Open and could reach three Slam finals in a year for the first time since 2002. If Americans Madison Keys and CoCo Vanderweghe win Wednesday, they will produce the first all-American US Open semi-finals since 1981.Williams, the oldest Slam semi-finalist since Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon in 1994, won the 2000 and 2001 US crowns.Carreno Busta, the first player in any Grand Slam to face four qualifiers, cruised into his first Slam semi-final by ousting Argentine 29th seed Diego Schartzman 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.Anderson, the first South African in any Slam semi-finalist since Wayne Ferreira at the 2003 Australian Open, will meet Spanish 12th seed Carreno Busta, who has not dropped a set, for a place in Sunday’s final. Kvitova battled back from a five-month absence after a knife-wielding home intruder injured her left hand last December. USA’s Venus Williams celebrates her US Open quarter-final win over Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic in New York on Tuesday. Carreno Busta said, “It’s something that I always dreamed about but something I never thought was going to arrive here.02m) and Querrey 6ft 6in (1.Stephens, who missed 11 months with a left foot injury before returning at Wimbledon, matched her best Grand Slam showing by outlasting Latvian 16th seed Anastasija Sevastova 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4). Venus won 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (2). “I’d love that.”Legends Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal each practiced ahead of Wednesday quarter-finals.. It came down to the wire,” Williams said. It’s a great feeling.“I’m glad I’m still able to compete on the high level against the top players which I hope will give me some confidence to continue to play well, to know that it’s still there somewhere,” Kvitova said. The other half-bracket, however, will offer a first-time Slam finalist.Stephens has won 13 of her past 15 matches and matched her 2013 Australian Open semi-final run for best Slam effort.”In the men’s event, South Africa’s Kevin Anderson reached a Grand Slam semi-final for the first time where he will face Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta who will also be appearing in his maiden last-four at a major. “That would be huge,” Williams said.Williams, who improved to 2-4 all-time against the Czech 13th seed, will return to the world top five for the first time since January 2011, a span that saw her diagnosed with the energy-sapping disease Sjogren’s Syndrome. South African 28th seed Anderson downed 17th-seeded American Sam Querrey 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (9/11), 6-3, 7-6 (9/7) to book a berth in Friday’s semi-finals. US ninth seed Williams, seeking her third US Open crown, advanced to a Thursday matchup against 83rd-ranked compatriot Sloane Stephens for a spot in Saturday’s final.”With Anderson standing 6ft 8in (2.97m), it was the tallest matchup ever so late in any Slam. New York: Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams became the oldest semi-finalist in US Open history at age 37 on Tuesday by defeating two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/2). “I try to tell myself enjoy the competition, enjoy the battle and I think I was able to do that.“I’m so fortunate to have won that match.“To play in one of the most famous courts in the world at night and to get through, it feels fantastic,” said Anderson.In the tie-breaker, Stephens took four of the last five points, three on Sevastova errors before hitting a down-the-line backhand winner ensured her win to reach the top 35 in next week’s rankings.Stephens has Double Flexible Socket Wrench won 13 of her past 15 matches and matched her 2013 Australian Open semi-final run for best Slam effort.