मंगलवार को चारधाम यात्रा की तैयारियों पर मुख्यमंत्री धामी ने कहा कि चारधाम यात्रा के लिए देश-दुनिया से श्रद्धालु आते हैं. 19 अप्रैल से चारधाम यात्रा शुरू हो रही है. 2025 में धामों के कपाट बंद होने के बाद सरकार ने आगामी चारधाम यात्रा की तैयारियां शुरू कर दी थीं। सड़कों, बुनियादी ढांचे के विकास, आवास, परिवहन और आवास व्यवस्था पर विशेष ध्यान दिया जा रहा है।

पिछले वर्ष प्रदेश में विभिन्न स्थानों पर आपदा के कारण चारधाम यात्रा डेढ़ माह तक बाधित रही थी। इसके बावजूद 51 लाख से ज्यादा श्रद्धालुओं ने दर्शन किए. आगामी यात्रा के लिए अब तक 10 लाख श्रद्धालु पंजीकरण करा चुके हैं। सरकार की प्राथमिकता है कि किसी भी श्रद्धालु को कोई असुविधा न हो.

ये भी पढ़ें…उत्तराखंड: कैबिनेट विस्तार के बाद पहली कैबिनेट बैठक आज, कई अहम प्रस्तावों पर होंगे फैसले

राज्य की भौगोलिक स्थिति को देखते हुए यात्रा चुनौतीपूर्ण है लेकिन प्रत्येक श्रद्धालु की सुरक्षित यात्रा सर्वोच्च प्राथमिकता है। देवभूमि में आने वाले सभी श्रद्धालुओं को दर्शन कराना हमारा दायित्व है। श्रद्धालुओं को आपदा के पूर्वानुमान की जानकारी भी दी जायेगी. यात्रा शुरू होने से पहले वह स्वयं यात्रा मार्गों का दौरा कर व्यवस्थाओं को परखेंगे। सामान्य परिस्थितियों में चारधाम यात्रा के दौरान श्रद्धालुओं की संख्या सीमित करने के संबंध में कोई निर्देश नहीं दिये गये थे।

Newly released photos from NASA’s Gemini 8 mission show Neil Armstrong and David Scott after their emergency return to Earth in 1966. The photos were reportedly taken by Ron McSweeney and have been donated to the Armstrong Air & Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio by McSweeney’s widow. They capture astronauts on the deck of a US Navy ship and at Naha Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, after a mission that was cut short due to a spacecraft malfunction.Gemini 8 launched on March 16, 1966, and achieved the first successful docking of two spacecraft in orbit, AP news reports. The mission became critical when the docked vehicle began spinning uncontrollably, reportedly completing one full revolution per second. Armstrong activated the spacecraft’s thrusters to stabilize the spin, using reserve fuel for the remainder of the mission. Both astronauts were in danger of losing consciousness due to the rapid rotation.

Neil Armstrong’s Gemini 8 splashdown captured in rare recovery photos

As reported, the astronauts splashed down near Okinawa, Japan, about 10 hours after launch. He was assigned to the USS Leonard F. Recovered by Mason and taken to Naha Air Base. Photos showed Armstrong and Scott walking through a crowd of American service members and standing on the deck of the ship. Images also include Gemini 8 being lifted for transport after splashdown.McSweeney, an Army veteran, was called in to document the astronauts immediately after their recovery. Few media outlets attended the event at the time, as the initial mission termination was unplanned. These photographs are one of the few visual records of the astronauts’ post-mission condition following a near-catastrophic event in orbit.

PC:AP

PC:AP

Main docking and emergency procedures

The Gemini 8 mission is considered an important test of orbital docking procedures and astronaut performance under emergency conditions. Armstrong’s reaction to uncontrolled spin is often cited as evidence of his composure and technical skill, which contributed to his selection for the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.Historians say the mission’s success in safely returning the crew despite the malfunction provided valuable data for future manned space missions. Armstrong and Scott’s ability to manage fuel reserves and stabilize the spacecraft in emergency situations informed NASA’s protocols for the later Gemini and Apollo missions.

PC:AP

PC:AP

Historic Gemini 8 photos show Armstrong and Scott’s post-mission recovery

The Armstrong Air & Space Museum plans to display the photographs as part of its permanent collection. Dante Centuri, executive director of the museum, said the images provide a clear record of the mission and the astronauts’ recovery process. They also serve as historical records of US naval support operations in post-mission recovery.

When Radhika Iyer Talati was 29 years old, she was diagnosed with cancer. It was uterine cancer in the early stages, and it was managed. However, doctors told her that she might have cancer in other reproductive organs, such as the breasts or ovaries, and that she had to be careful about it. Then why did he get cancer? Who is Radhika?Radhika Iyer was born in an orthodox Tamil Brahmin family. While her family emphasized the girls’ education and encouraged independence, there were still many things they were not allowed to do. His father was in the Military Accounts Service, and the family was transferred to various places across India. This gave Radhika the opportunity to try her hand at many small jobs while studying. “We were encouraged to do our own work and earn our own pocket money during the summer holidays. I did everything from modeling to selling newspapers and even going door-to-door selling washing powder.”

However, one thing that was not acceptable was marrying outside one’s community. But at the age of 19, she fell in love with Amit Talati and got married into a rich Gujarati family. “I had always learned to earn my own money, so the life of a housewife was not easy for me. Although there was no shortage of money, women in my family were expected to take care of the house, men and children. I wanted to be a good daughter-in-law and learn the tricks of the trade, but I felt stifled and always tried to do my own thing.I didn’t want my husband to ever feel like he had made a wrong choice, so I gave up my pride and took on my role as a daughter-in-law. However, gradually I started taking things into my own hands. Thankfully, I was allowed to do small tasks like writing articles and organizing a small fashion exhibition. This gave me enough financial freedom to seek help and think about starting something bigger. I started organizing celebrity birthdays, founded my own wedding design company and earned a good income while raising my three children.All this time, I was adjusting to my new family, raising kids, and dealing with a number of health issues — like eczema that wouldn’t go away, gut problems, and conditions that even landed me in the ICU. Then came the final blow: cancer, at a time when my children were still very young. I was diagnosed in 2004, and thankfully it was in the early stages, so it was manageable – but with a caveat that it could return. Meanwhile, I struggled with eczema for years, until I met Dr., an Ayurvedic doctor in Ahmedabad. Pankaj Dabi. My trust in him and naturopathy deepened when he cured my long-standing eczema in just one week. All they did was change my diet – started eating seasonally, on time – and that discipline cured me.

But as fate would have it, I was diagnosed with cancer for the second time in 2009 – this time in my breasts. My mother-in-law also had cancer, so when the lumps appeared, I immediately went to the doctor. However, he dismissed it and asked me to wait and see.Within a few days, I felt that the lumps were increasing, so I went back again. This time, they discovered that I had multiple lumps. He advised me to have a biopsy and this confirmed the diagnosis. I went straight to my Ayurvedic doctor, Dr. Pankaj Dabi. The cancer was in the early stages and he was confident that with proper Ayurvedic treatment the tumors would dissolve. While my family was incredulous about this bold step and my husband was completely reluctant, I wanted to try it and assured him that if it didn’t work, I would resort to regular treatments.Ayurvedic treatment was not easy. Every day, I would go to the clinic at 9 in the morning – a small clinic and return home late in the evening. This included fasting for long periods of time, drinking bitter juices, eating in a copper plate, getting massages, and more. Ultimately, at the end of 18-19 days, my hand turned blue, and all the lumps disappeared.

Despite the pain, I felt very good and during this period my weight reduced by 10 kg. It was extremely difficult treatment, but my faith and determination helped me carry on. I rested for 3-4 days, during which I ate only light food. The doctor did not allow me to get a mammogram, the doctor said that it could jeopardize the entire treatment. My family was not ready to accept my decision, but I moved forward with my faith. I finally got a mammogram three years later and everything became clear. But the story did not end here. After a month, Dr. Dabi told me that I needed to replenish my life energy, which had become weak during the treatment. He suggested that I should go to either Kerala or the Himalayas.“I got permission from my husband and explained everything to both of my children – my daughter was 8 years old and my son was only 5 – and then decided to go on this trip. Before leaving, I wrote a very emotional message to all my female friends, but it came as a shock to me – and a lesson – that I did not get a single response. The reality of the world had opened up before my eyes. I went to Rishikesh and spent six months there, extending my stay month by month each time after taking permission from my children. There I learned yoga from an Aghori Baba named Baba Dhuni Nath. I didn’t spend a single rupee, yet I learned things I couldn’t have learned anywhere else. I had a profound spiritual experience and a deep awakening. I learned about Lord Shiva and his philosophy. This became a turning point in my life. When I returned five months later, my husband didn’t recognize me—I was completely changed.”

Why did cancer happen?I realized that cancer developed due to a combination of many factors: eating out, exposure to chemical-laden cosmetics, and the constant stress of trying to fit into the role of “daughter-in-law”, as well as the many unspoken emotions that come with it.After my healing journey, I deeply embraced yoga and started practicing regularly. I also included hot water fasting in my lifestyle. Dr. Pankaj believed that hot water fasting could help cure many diseases and it gradually became a part of my daily routine. Today, I’m able to fast for multiple days—but of course, this has come with consistent practice and discipline. Eventually I started my own yoga studio, and slowly Anahata Organics was born when I realized that practicing yoga was not enough unless it was paired with clean eating. Radhika ensured that she brought to the people the traditional foods and practices that are missing from our modern tables.Radhika Iyer Talati is a yogini, philanthropist and a deep believer in naturopathy. She is a living example of strength and resilience and of the belief that ancient Indian science and mindful practice can help cure many modern ailments, including serious illnesses. Radhika’s life is a testament to transformation, faith and inner strength.