The Rudra Collapse in Kedarnath has become a well-known lodging option for travellers visiting the sanctuary town.
Out of these, a meditation centre for the travellers has been meticulously prepared two kilometres from Kedarnath Dham in the direction of Gandhi Sarovar. The other centres are still being worked on.
The first booking of the Meditation cave for three days has been made; according to GMVN General Manager BL Rana. One day’s rent for the meditation cave is Rs. 990.
Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN), the nodal office for the tourism sector activities in the Garhwal region, is swamped with requests for renting the cave despite the fact that there is still about a month before the scorching Dham yatra begins. GMVN is currently preparing to create two new tunnels on the bank of the Mandakini stream, some 800 meters from the Kedarnath sanctuary, after realizing how popular the flood has been.
One and a half kilometres from Kedarnath, there is a cave-shaped area that has been transformed into a modern cave on the edge of Chaurabari Lake. The cave measures 5 metres in length, 3 metres in width, and has a 2.5-meter long bathroom.
While Ureda has installed electricity inside the cave. A DSPT phone has also been kept within the cave for security reasons. Outside the cave, a small courtyard has been constructed.
In contrast, Havan-Kund is situated close to the courtyard. For convenience, beds have also been placed in the cave. Inside the cave are a bed and bathroom facilities. The pilgrims will receive a single lunch from GMVN. For this, there will be an additional fee. The entire path to the meditation cave is blanketed in snow due to the recent heavy snowfall.
Consequently, individuals who make the reservation will stay at Swargarohini Cottage. The devotees will stay here if the area around the meditation cave returns to normal.
Narendra Modi is rumoured to have meditated in these area’s natural caverns during his spiritual quest in the final decade of the previous century. The caverns are being prepared, according to the authorities, and will be accessible starting with this yatra season. The Rudra cave in Kedarnath, where Prime Minister Modi spent a late evening during the Lok Sabha elections in 2019, was what first sparked people’s interest in Kedarnath’s “cave stays.”
Sudarshan Singh Khatri, the territorial manager of GMVN, Rudraprayag, told the Times of India, (TOI) that “when the Char Dham Yatra is open for travellers, the cave is always fully booked.” From this season on, the price for the reflection cave has been increased due to the overwhelming response from all across the country.
The daily lease was previously Rs. 1500 and has since been increased to 3000 Rs. The Rudra cave, located 1 km uphill from Kedarnath.
In May 2022, the amount was reduced to Rs 990 per day in order to encourage more people to attend. The price eventually increased to Rs. 1500 as appointments increased, and it is currently being restored to its original amount.