Kedarnath Dham portals to close for winter on November 11

Kedarnath Dham portals to close for winter tomorrow; preparations underway

Kedarnath, November 10

As part of the closing ceremony, the ceremonial palanquin (Chal Vigraha Utsav Doli) of Baba Kedar entered the temple today.

The portals will be formally closed tomorrow morning at the scheduled auspicious hour, following traditional rituals and religious customs.

Ahead of the closing event, the district administration has stepped up its preparations. District Magistrate Vishal Mishra has reached Kedarnath Dham in person to conduct an on-site inspection of the arrangements and issue necessary instructions to the concerned officials.

Basic amenities at the shrine-including sanitation, drinking water, electricity, accommodation, and healthcare-are being streamlined. Meanwhile, the police department is making essential arrangements to ensure the safety of devotees, effective crowd management, and smooth movement.

Additionally, all relevant departments, including Health, Disaster Management, Public Works, and the Municipal Corporation, have been placed on high alert.

The district administration is continuously reviewing preparations in close coordination to ensure the religious ceremony concludes in a safe, well-organised, and peaceful manner.

After the closing rituals, the ceremonial palanquin (doli) of Baba Kedar will move to the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath for winter worship.

The idol remains in Ukhimath for approximately six months and returns to Kedarnath around Akshaya Tritiya (April-May) when the high-altitude doors reopen.

Earlier, the Rudraprayag district administration has stepped up preparations for the winter pilgrimage, with District Magistrate Vishal Mishra directing officials to ensure adequate arrangements for devotees visiting the shrine during the winter season.

Speaking about the winter pilgrimage, Mishra said the annual pilgrimage to Kedarnath Dham would conclude with the closure of its portals, following which the winter pilgrimage would begin."The portals of Kedarnath Dham will close on the morning of November 11, marking the end of the annual pilgrimage, after which the winter pilgrimage will begin," Mishra said.

He further explained that the palanquin of Shri Kedarnath Dham is brought to Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath during winter, after which pilgrims begin visiting the temple for darshan.

"During winter, the palanquin of Shri Kedarnath Dham is brought to Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath, following which pilgrims begin arriving there for darshan. I have observed that enthusiasm for the winter pilgrimage has grown considerably over the past several years, with people visiting the temple to offer prayers," he said.

— ANI