November 14, 2023 – Dehradun, Uttarakhand: As winter approaches, preparations have commenced to close the portals of the Char Dham shrines. The first in line, the gates of Gangotri Dham, will be closed today. The closing rituals for the portals of Baba Kedarnath and Yamunotri temples are scheduled for November 15.
The gates of Badrinath Dham will be closed on November 18. Prior to this, traditional rituals will mark the conclusion of the season with Panch Puja in Badrinath. The Char Dham Yatra, which began on April 22 with the opening of the Gangotri and Yamunotri portals, witnessed a historic turnout, with over 55.65 lakh pilgrims undertaking the pilgrimage.
The gates of Kedarnath and Badrinath Dham were opened on April 25 and 27, respectively, resulting in a fully operational pilgrimage season. The state government has made registration mandatory for the Yatra, with 75 lakh pilgrims registered so far. This season has seen a record-breaking 56.65 lakh devotees completing the pilgrimage.
Preparations have begun to close the gates of Badrinath and Kedarnath Dham. The portals of Baba Kedarnath will be closed at 8:30 AM on November 15, followed by the departure of Baba Kedar’s Panchmukhi Doli to Onkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath. – Ajendra Ajay, Chairman, Badri-Kedar Temple Committee
Pilgrims visiting the Char Dham Yatra have set a new record, with more than 55.65 lakh devotees having completed the pilgrimage. On the day of closing, 750 devotees have registered for Baba Kedarnath. – Yogendra Gangwar, Joint Director, Tourism Department
The second Kedarnath Madmaheshwar portals will be closed on November 22. The gates of Hemkund Sahib closed on October 11, while the Rudranath and Tungnath portals were closed on October 18 and November 1, respectively.
Before the closure of Badrinath Temple gates, Panch Puja will be performed today. The 14th of November will see day-long worship, with the closing ceremony of Ganesh’s gates in the evening. On the 15th of November, Baba Kedarnath, Adi Kedareswar Temple, and Adi Guru Shankaracharya Temple gates will be closed in the afternoon. After the worship of the Khadag book on the third day, Vedic chanting will conclude. On the 17th of November, worship and offering will be performed to Goddess Lakshmi. On the 18th of November, dressed as Raval’s wife, they will keep Goddess Lakshmi in the sanctum of Badrinath. Subsequently, with rituals at 3:33 PM, the gates will be closed.