By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 10 Nov: The portals of two of Uttarakhand’s revered Himalayan shrines, Kedarnath and Yamunotri, will be closed for the winter season tomorrow on the occasion of Bhai Dooj as is the tradition, marking the conclusion of this year’s pilgrimage to the temples. While the portals of Yamunotri Dham will be closed amid Vedic rituals on the auspicious occasion of Bhai Dooj, preparations linked to the winter closure of Kedarnath Temple have also entered their final phase with age-old religious traditions being observed at the shrine.
Religious traditions and the rituals associated with the winter closure of Kedarnath Temple are being carried out as per established customs. The portals of Kedarnath Temple are scheduled to close for the winter season at 8:30 am tomorrow morning. Ahead of the closure, various rituals connected with the adornment and ceremonial repose of Baba Kedar have begun.
The process for closing the portals of the Kedarnath Temple has begun. Today, the Utsav Doli (processional palanquin) carrying the deity, Baba Kedar, entered the temple premises. Following the closure, the Doli of Baba Kedar will depart for the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath, which serves as the winter seat for the deity.
In view of the proceedings for the closure of the portals, District Magistrate Vishal Mishra arrived at Kedarnath Dham today. He conducted an on-site inspection of the temple complex and the surrounding arrangements. He also reviewed the status of cleanliness, drinking water, electricity, accommodation, and healthcare services with the officials and issued necessary directives.
Anticipating a large influx of devotees, the police department has put security and crowd management measures in place. Relevant departments, including health, disaster management, public works, water supply, electricity, and local municipal bodies, have been instructed to ensure that all arrangements are in proper order. The administration and the police are making preparations to ensure that the portal-closing ceremony concludes peacefully.
Besides the Kedarnath temple, the portals of of the Yamunotri Dham will be closed for the winter at 10:28 a.m. tomorrow, during an auspicious muhurat falling on Shukla Paksha Dwitiya, under Anuradha Nakshatra, Saumya Yoga and Dhanu Lagna. Special prayers and religious rituals dedicated to Goddess Yamuna will be performed with Vedic chanting before the closure of the shrine.
Following the ceremonial closure of the temple, the festive palanquin of Goddess Yamuna will leave Yamunotri for her winter abode at Kharsali under the leadership of Someshwar Maharaj and in accordance with traditional customs. The six-month-long winter worship of the deity will thereafter commence at the ancient Yamuna Temple in Kharsali, regarded as the maternal home of Goddess Yamuna.
Temple Committee secretary Sunil Uniyal and spokesperson Purushottam Uniyal said that after the closure of the shrine, the ceremonial palanquin of Goddess Yamuna will proceed to Kharsali accompanied by traditional musical instruments and religious observances. Local residents and devotees will accord a grand traditional welcome to the deity upon her arrival in the village later in the evening. During the winter months, pilgrims and devotees will be able to offer prayers and seek the blessings of Goddess Yamuna at the Kharsali temple, where all winter worship rituals will be conducted until the reopening of Yamunotri Dham next year.
