Shri Kedarnath Dham. The doors of Shri Kedarnath Dham, the eleventh Jyotirling of Lord Shankar located in Uttarakhand, were closed for the winter season with rituals on Thursday at 08:30 am on Bhai Dooj. After the doors were closed, Baba Kedar’s Panchmukhi Utsav Doli left for the first stop Rampur with the army band and cheers.
On this occasion, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami flagged off the Panchmukhi Doli for the first stop of the winter shelter. More than 10 thousand devotees witnessed the closing of the doors in Kedarnath amid the cold weather. On this occasion, the temple was grandly decorated with flowers and devotees also organized Bhandara.
Before the process of closing the doors, devotees had darshan of Akhand Jyoti in the temple. After this, as part of the process of closing the doors, during Brahma Muhurta, Kedarnath Dham priest Bagesh Ling and Acharyaganas, Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) President Hemant Dwivedi, district administration, pilgrim priests and Haq Hakukdharis entered the sanctum sanctorum of the temple from the east gate and participated in the Samadhi Puja. After the Yagya-Havan Samadhi Puja, priest Bagesh Linga gave Samadhi form to the Swambhu Shivalinga of Lord Kedarnath.
Local flowers Kumja, Bukala, Ash Brahma Kamal and dried flowers were covered with leaves. The temple sanctum sanctorum closed with the slogan of Jai Baba Kedar. The eastern and southern gates of the temple were closed at 8.30 am in the presence of the Chief Minister and BKTC President Hemant Dwivedi. After this, the Panchmukhi Doli was brought outside to the temple premises and after circumambulating Shri Kedarnath Temple, the Doli left for the first stop Rampur.
Hundreds of devotees left with Panchmukhi Doli. Shri Dhami extended best wishes to the devotees from India and abroad on the occasion of closure of the doors of Baba Kedar. He said that Bhabya Dibya Kedar Puri has been constructed as per the vision of visionary Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that today a record 50 lakh devotees have reached the Chardham Yatra this year. Winter travel will be encouraged after the doors of the Dhams are closed. He also accepted the greetings of all the pilgrims and devotees.
The entire temple complex echoed with the slogans of Jai Baba Kedar and Har Har Mahadev. BKTC President Hemant Dwivedi said on this occasion that the Chardham Yatra has been successfully conducted under the guidance of the Chief Minister of the state. Till the closure of the doors, record 1768795 (seventeen lakh sixty eight thousand seven hundred ninety five) pilgrims have visited Lord Kedarnath. He said that barring the disaster this time, overall the Kedarnath Yatra has been smooth and safe.
Whereas in the last Yatra year 2024, a total of 1652076 (sixteen lakh fifty-two thousand seventy-six) pilgrims visited Baba Kedarnath. This time the number of pilgrims who reached Kedarnath has been 1.25 lakh more as compared to the last Yatra year. He also thanked all the departments associated with the yatra. Said that under the guidance of the Chief Minister, winter yatra will be encouraged after the completion of the yatra. Also, there will be strong security arrangements in Shri Kedarnath Dham during winter season.
Yamunotri Dham’s doors closed
In Uttarakhand, on the occasion of Bhaiyya Dooj festival, the doors of Yamunotri Dham were closed for winter at 12.30 pm on Thursday amidst rituals and chanting of Vedic mantras. On this auspicious occasion, hundreds of pilgrims attended the Dham and had darshan of Mother Yamuna. According to the tradition of closing the doors, the doli of Sameshwar Devta (Shani Dev) from Kharsali village had reached Yamunotri Dham to take Mother Yamuna. After the closing of the doors, under the leadership of Shanidev, the Bhogmurti of Mother Yamuna and the festive doli left for Kharsali Gaddisthal temple for winter stay between Dhol Nagara and Sankhanad.
During winter season, the worship of Maa Yamuna will be done in Kharsali temple only and devotees coming from India and abroad will be able to worship Maa Yamuna here only. Religious rituals will be performed here for the next six months. The Dham complex echoed with the chants of ‘Jai Maa Yamuna’. When Mother Yamuna’s doli left for the Yatra amidst snow covered mountains and cold winds, the eyes of the devotees became moist with faith and emotions. Hundreds of devotees including Deputy Collector Brijesh Kumar Tiwari were present on this auspicious time of closing of doors.
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