my uttarakhand news Bureau
Dehradun, 22 Oct: The portals of Kedarnath Dham are set to close for the winter season tomorrow on the auspicious occasion of Bhai Dooj at 8:30 a.m. In addition, the portals of Yamunotri are also set to close tomorrow for the winters.
Ahead of the closure of the portals at Kedarnath Dham, the sacred Samadhi Puja of Lord Shiva began today in the presence of priests and devotees. The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) has completed all necessary arrangements for the ceremonial proceedings. After the Samadhi Puja in the early hours of tomorrow, the portals of the shrine will be closed with due Vedic rituals, and the holy Doli carrying the idol of Baba Kedar will begin its journey towards its winter abode at Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath.
In accordance with traditions, devotees will be permitted to have Darshan from midnight till 4 a.m. tomorrow. Thereafter, the Samadhi Puja will resume between 5 and 6 a.m. During this ritual, Baba Kedar’s Swayambhu Linga will be ritually covered with bhasm, grains, fruits, flowers, rudraksha beads, white cloth and other sacred offerings. Exactly at 6 a.m., the doors of the Garbha Griha will be closed, signifying the beginning of the winter rest of the Deity.
At 8:30 a.m., the eastern portal, which is considered the main entrance, will be ceremonially shut in the presence of temple priests and devotees. Following the closure, the Chal Vigrah Doli of Lord Kedarnath will leave for its winter sojourn to Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath. This year, Kedarnath Dham witnessed a record influx of pilgrims, with as many as 17,45,065 devotees having had Darshan of Baba Kedar during the pilgrimage season.
As per the traditional schedule, the holy Doli will depart from Kedarnath tomorrow following the closure of the temple and halt overnight at Rampur. It will then proceed to Guptkashi on 24 October and finally reach its winter seat, Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath, on 25 October. For the next six months, worship and rituals of Lord Kedarnath will be performed at the Omkareshwar Temple, where devotees may continue to offer prayers and have Darshan during the winter pilgrimage period.
The portals of Gangotri Dham were closed today at 11:36 a.m. on the occasion of Govardhan. The portals of Kedarnath Dham as well as of Yamunotri Dham will close tomorrow. The portals of Yamunotri Dham will close tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. following due rituals. The portals of Badrinath Dham are scheduled to close on 25 November, which will mark the conclusion of the Char Dham Yatra season for this year.
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