Kedarnath Shrine Closes Its Portals for Winter Season
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami attends ceremonial closing as over 17 lakh devotees visit Kedarnath this year
Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, Oct 23: The sacred doors of the Kedarnath shrine in the Garhwal Himalayas were officially closed on Thursday for the winter season. Lord Kedarnath will now be worshipped at his winter abode in Ukhimath for the next six months.
The ceremonial closing began with special puja at 8:30 am, attended by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, hundreds of devotees, temple committee officials, administrative officers, and a large number of pilgrim priests. Following the rituals, the palanquin of Lord Kedarnath was carried in a grand procession to the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath. The shrine will reopen to devotees next year in April-May, with the exact date to be decided during Mahashivratri.
CM Dhami prayed for the welfare, happiness, and prosperity of the people of Uttarakhand. He praised the smooth and well-managed Chardham Yatra this year, noting a record number of devotees visited Kedarnath, with 17.57 lakh pilgrims, and a total of 49.67 lakh across all major shrines, including Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, and Hemkund Sahib.
Highlighting the spiritual and economic significance of the Yatra, Dhami said, “The Chardham Yatra not only boosts Uttarakhand’s economy but also strengthens the bond of Devbhoomi with followers of Sanatan Dharma worldwide. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guidance, we are developing Uttarakhand as the spiritual capital of Sanatan Dharma.”
He also inspected ongoing development works in Kedarnath and other temples associated with Manaskhand, reaffirming the state’s commitment to enhancing pilgrimage infrastructure.
