By Our Staff Reporter
Gangotri (Uttarkashi), 2 Nov: The portals of the world-famous Gangotri Dham have been closed for the winter season after due rituals today at 12:14 pm. After the portals are closed, Goddess Ganga will be available for darshan to the devotees in her maternal home Mukhaba. With the sounds of the army band and traditional musical instruments and the proclamation of ‘Ganga Maiya ki Jai’, Doli Yatra of Ganga left for her winter stay in Mukhaba (Mukhimath). Before the portals of the Gangotri temple were closed, the round of rituals started in Gangotri Dham from the morning. The pilgrimage priests performed special worship in the temple along with Abhishek and Aarti of Ganga at the ghat. Army soldiers from Harshil served the devotees by setting up free medical camps and langar here.
Temple committee secretary Suresh Semwal said that the festive doli of Maa Ganga from Gangotri Dham will stay at Markandeypuri Devi temple for night rest. Bhajan kirtan will be performed here throughout the night. The next day, Maa Ganga’s festival palanquin will stay in Mukhaba village for the winter. He said that this time, the portals of the Dham were closed amidst thousands of devotees.
It is worth noting that during this Yatra period, till the evening of 1 October, 1,521,752 pilgrims have arrived in these two Dhams located in the district. These include 710,210 pilgrims visiting Yamunotri Dham and 811,542 pilgrims visiting Gangotri Dham. On the previous day, 1,510 pilgrims reached Yamunotri Dham and 1,726 pilgrims reached Gangotri Dham. Let us tell you that on the occasion of Bhaiya Dooj festival, the portals of Kedarnath Dham will be closed for winter on 3 November at 8:30 am.
After the portals of Baba Kedar are closed, the festival palanquin will reach Omkareshwar temple Ukhimath, the winter seat, where Baba Kedarnath will give darshan to the devotees for six months. On the other hand, the portals of Badrinath Dham will be closed on 17 November. The portals of Yamunotri temple will be closed on 3 November at 12:05 pm.
After which, Goddess Yamuna will be seated at the Yamuna temple in Kharsali village during winters and will give darshan to the devotees. The portals of the second Kedarnath Madmaheshwar will be closed for winters on 20 November. The Chardham Yatra in Uttarakhand is in its final phase. There is a lot of enthusiasm among the devotees regarding the Chardham Yatra. A large number of devotees are arriving for darshan of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri Dham.
