Portals of Kedarnath Dham closed for winter
Nearly 10,000 devotees gathered at the Kedarnath Dham for the farewell to the deity for the season despite freezing temperatures
The portals of Kedarnath Dham, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, were closed for winter on Thursday amid Vedic rituals, chants of “Jai Baba Kedar,” and the tunes of an Army band. Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami attended the ceremony on the occasion of Bhai Dooj (Kartik Shukla Saptami, Anuradha Nakshatra).
The temple was adorned with flowers before the closing rituals began. Nearly 10,000 devotees gathered for the farewell to the deity for the season despite freezing temperatures. Priests performed yagya, offered prayers, after which the Shivling of Lord Kedarnath was covered with flowers. The eastern and southern gates of the shrine were sealed in Dhami’s presence after the closure of the sanctum sanctorum.
The Panchmukhi Utsav Doli (ceremonial palanquin) of Lord Kedarnath was then taken around the temple before departing for its first halt at Rampur.
Dhami, who extended wishes to devotees across India and abroad, said the grand reconstruction of Kedarnath was a result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary guidance. “This year, the Char Dham Yatra witnessed a record five million pilgrims, reflecting the growing faith and devotion of people towards Uttarakhand’s sacred shrines.”
Dhami said the 2025 Kedarnath Yatra was one of the smoothest and safest so far. He added that 17,68,795 devotees visited the temple, compared to 16,52,076 in 2024. “Except for natural challenges, the arrangements remained well-managed throughout the season,” he said.
Dhami asked devotees to participate in winter pilgrimages to the winter abodes of the four dhams. He added that this will sustain the livelihoods of local traders, homestay operators, and hoteliers.
The Panchmukhi Utsav Doli will proceed to the Shri Vishwanath Temple in Guptkashi on Friday after the halt at Rampur. It will reach the winter seat of Lord Kedarnath at Shri Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath on Saturday, where worship will continue for the next six months.
Harshit Patel, a pilgrim from Gujarat’s Anand, said it was the first time he witnessed the portal ceremony closure, which was purely divine. “We feel blessed.”
The Char Dham Yatra commenced this year on April 30 with the opening of the gates of Gangotri and Yamunotri, followed by Kedarnath on May 2 and Badrinath on May 4
The Kedarnath temple is located nearly 3,500 metres above sea level near the Mandakini River in the Rudraprayag district.
