Rudraprayag (U’Khand), Oct 23 – The Kedarnath shrine in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand closed its doors for the winter season on Thursday. For the next six months, worship of Lord Kedarnath will take place at his winter residence in Ukhimath.

According to sources from the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee, the doors of Baba Kedar were officially closed to devotees at 8:30 am following a special puja ceremony. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami attended the event alongside hundreds of devotees, administrative officers, temple committee officials, and numerous pilgrim priests.

After the closure of the temple doors, the ceremonial palanquin of Lord Kedarnath departed for the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath. The palanquin is scheduled to stay in Rampur on Thursday night and will reach Guptkashi on Friday, from where it will proceed to its winter seat at the Omkareshwar Temple on October 25.

The Kedarnath temple is set to reopen for devotees in April-May of the following year, with the specific date and time to be announced during the Mahashivratri festival. Chief Minister Dhami prayed for the happiness, prosperity, and welfare of the state’s residents, highlighting the successful and smooth Chardham Yatra this year, attributed to the well-planned efforts of the state government.

Dhami interacted with pilgrims and priests, noting that a record number of devotees visited Kedarnath, the sacred abode of Lord Shiva. He emphasized that the Chardham Yatra significantly contributes to the state’s economy and connects Devbhoomi Uttarakhand with followers of Sanatan Dharma worldwide.

“This year, a record number of pilgrims arrived for the Char Dham Yatra. The journey to Baba Kedar’s shrine has concluded safely. May Baba’s blessings remain upon us all. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state government is developing Uttarakhand as the spiritual capital of Sanatan Dharma,” Dhami stated.

Additionally, he inspected ongoing development projects in Kedarnath, mentioning that various development works are also being undertaken at temples associated with Manaskhand. Official figures indicate that 17.57 lakh devotees visited Kedarnath this year, while a total of 49.67 lakh pilgrims visited the state, including the shrines of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath, and Hemkund Sahib.