Kedarnath Dham Closes for Winter Amid Rituals and Devotee Fervor

The sacred Kedarnath Dham closed its doors for winter on Bhai Dooj, witnessed by over 15,000 devotees. Ceremonies featured Vedic rituals and traditional chants. Devotees embarked on a journey with Baba Kedar's Panchmukhi Utsav Doli, while remarks from BKTC emphasized a successful pilgrimage season under leadership and vision.

In a grand ceremony, the hallowed doors of Kedarnath Dham were shut for the winter season, marking the auspicious occasion of Bhai Dooj. The ritual closure on Sunday was steeped in Vedic traditions, reverberating with chants of Om Namah Shivay and Jai Baba Kedar, set to the ceremonial tunes of the Indian Army band.

According to official sources, a crowd exceeding 15,000 faithful witnessed the closure rites. Preceding Diwali, the temple had been lavishly adorned with flowers. By 5 AM Sunday, with key figures including BKTC President Ajendra Ajay, Acharyas, Vedpathis, and temple priests in attendance, the Samadhi Puja of Lord Kedarnath's self-manifested Shivalinga was performed, transforming it with ashes, native flora, and Bel leaves. By 08:30 AM, Baba Kedar's Panchmukhi Utsav Doli emerged, heralding the closure of the temple doors.

As Baba Kedar's Panchmukhi Utsav Doli ventured to its initial destination Rampur, throngs of devotees escorted it on foot. Bhandaaras were held en route for the followers. Despite the chilly air, clear skies and snow-clad environs invigorated the assembled devotees. BKTC President Ajendra Ajay shared that a record-breaking 16.5 lakh pilgrims visited during the Yatra period, crediting the zestful Kedarpuri development to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary approach.

The Kedarnath pilgrimage operated seamlessly under the stewardship of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Gratitude was extended towards BKTC, police, administrative bodies, and emergency responsiveness teams like NDRF and SDRF for their pivotal roles in the Yatra's success. The journey of Baba Kedar's Panchmukhi Doli is set over three nights, culminating at winter seat Omkareshwar Temple Ukhimath, where worship will continue in the cold months.

Badrinath Dham will follow suit with a November 17 closure. The curtain fell on Gangotri Dham on November 2, while Yamnotri Dham is set to close on the afternoon of Bhai Dooj. Other sacred sites like Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib and Lokpal Laxman temple closed earlier in October, with Madmaheshwar ji and Tungnath Ji to close by mid-November, completing the circuit's seasonal closures.

(With inputs from agencies.)