PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Uttarkashi Amidst sacred Vedic chants and traditional rituals, the portals of Gangotri Dham closed for the six-month winter break at 12:05 PM on Tuesday, coinciding with the Annakut festival. Over 9.57 lakh pilgrims visited the holy shrine this season and paid obeisance to Mother Ganga. Shortly after the temple doors shut, the goddess’s festive palanquin departed for Mukhba village (Mukhimath)—the deity’s winter abode– to the tunes of an army band and traditional dhol-damaus. The palanquin will take its night halt at the Maa Chandi Devi (Markandeya Puri) temple. After this, on Wednesday—on the auspicious occasion of Bhaiya Dooj—the festive palanquin will reach her maternal home, Mukhba (Mukhimath). Following the ritualistic worship there, the idol will be installed for the next six months. During the winter season, devotees will be able to offer prayersonly at the Ganga temple located in Mukhba. Among those present during the portal-closing ceremony were the Gangotri MLA Suresh Singh Chauhan.