India's Kedarnath Dham closed for winter; over 19.20 lakh devotees visited shrine this year
Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand. Photo: Courtesy Wikipedia.
The winter closure of the Shri Kedarnath Dham shrine in Uttarakhand took place on Wednesday (November 11), signaling the conclusion of this year’s Yatra period. Having welcomed worshippers since April 22, the revered site drew a turnout exceeding 19.2 lakh visitors seeking blessings.
Early morning custom procedures commenced at 4 AM, overseen by authorities, BKTC delegates, temple priests, and Kedar Sabha representatives. Subsequent to the sealing of the structure, the sacred palanquin is set to commence its cold-season procession.
Inside Kedarnath, the inner sanctuary gates were locked at 6 AM following the preliminary Samadhi Puja that started at 4 AM. The primary entryways of the complex were officially secured at 8:30 AM. More than 19.13 lakh travelers journeyed to Kedarnath, while upwards of 8.84 lakh traveled to Yamunotri over the course of this pilgrimage period.
Upon completion of the shutdown, the holy doli bearing the idol of Lord Kedar traversed the courtyard prior to setting off toward Ukhimath's Omkareshwar Temple, where the deity resides during the cold months. The doors had originally unlocked to admit public attendees on April 22.
(Source: NDTV)
