Kedarnath, Yamunotri temples close for winter after record visits

The sacred portals of Kedarnath and Yamunotri temples in Uttarakhand were formally sealed for the winter season on Wednesday, marking the end of their annual pilgrimage cycle. Kedarnath's gates shut at 8:30 am following elaborate rituals that commenced at 4 am, while Yamunotri's portals closed at 10:28 am. Both ceremonies adhered to traditional practices and incorporated Vedic chanting throughout the closure process.

The 2024 pilgrimage season proved exceptionally popular, with official records showing 19.13 lakh devotees visiting Kedarnath shrine and 8.84 lakh worshippers at Yamunotri. The combined footfall reflects sustained religious interest in these high-altitude temples nestled in the Garhwal Himalayas.

Following the closure ritual at Kedarnath, the ceremonial palanquin bearing the shrine's deity began its journey to the deity's winter residence at Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath. The procession will undertake a staged journey, halting overnight at Rampur before advancing to Guptkashi on November 12. The phased relocation is a centuries-old tradition, ensuring the deity is relocated before heavy winter snows make the mountain passages impassable.

The seasonal closure and deity relocation represent the culmination of a successful pilgrimage year, with weather conditions increasingly challenging access to these high-altitude sites as winter approaches.