KEDARNATH: The portals of Kedarnath Dham were ceremonially closed for the winter season at 8.30 am on Wednesday, with more than 19.20 lakh devotees visiting the Himalayan shrine during this year’s pilgrimage season, Badarinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) president Hemant Dwivedi said.
The closure ceremony was held amid traditional rituals, Vedic chanting and the tunes of an Army band, with a large number of devotees gathering at the shrine to catch the final glimpse of Lord Shiva before the winter break. Dwivedi described the occasion as an emotional moment and said the traditional rituals had been successfully completed.
#WATCH | Uttarakhand: The portals of the Kedarnath Dham were closed today at 8:30 AM for the winter season amidst a huge gathering of devotees, following full rituals and chanting of Vedic chants.
After the closure of the portals, the holy palanquin (Doli) of Baba Kedar will depart for its winter seat, the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath.
— ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2026
“Today has arrived that emotional moment, an ancient tradition where for six months, worship is offered to Nara, and for six months to Narayana. Today, on November 11, at 8.30 am, the doors—well, I wouldn’t call it closing the doors, rather this is the ceremony of ‘Mangalam’ for the doors. The first phase of all the rituals has been successfully completed here today,” he said.
Highlighting the pilgrimage footfall, the BKTC president said, “This time, a new record has been established: 1.95 million (19.5 lakh) devotees from across the country and the world received the blessings of Baba Kedar.” He expressed gratitude to the Kedar Sabha, Tirth Purohits, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police personnel and district administration for their contribution towards ensuring the smooth conduct of the pilgrimage.
#WATCH | Uttarakhand: Amidst the tunes of the Army band, the portals of Kedarnath Dham were closed for the winter season this morning with proper rituals and Vedic chanting. A large number of devotees were present at the Dham on this occasion. As the portals closed, the entire Kedarpuri complex resonated with chants hailing Lord Kedar.
— ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2026
Dwivedi said the pilgrimage would now enter its second phase, with Baba Kedar’s ceremonial palanquin (Doli) being taken to the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath, the deity’s winter abode. He appealed to devotees who could not visit Kedarnath to seek blessings at the temple in Ukhimath.
Meanwhile, Rudraprayag District Magistrate Vishal Mishra said the closing rituals began at 4 AM in the presence of administrative officials, BKTC representatives, Tirth Purohits and members of the Kedar Sabha. “The portals of Shri Kedarnath Dham, which opened on April 22, were closed today. More than 19.20 lakh devotees visited the shrine this year,” Mishra said.
#WATCH | Uttarakhand: Vishal Mishra, District Magistrate (DM) of Rudraprayag, says, “The portals of Shri Kedarnath Dham, which opened on April 22, were closed today. More than 19.20 lakh devotees visited the shrine this year. The rituals and closing ceremonies began at 4:00 AM in the presence of administration officials, BKTC (Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee) representatives, Tirth Purohits and members of the Kedar Sabha. Following the closure, the ceremonial palanquin (Doli) will depart for Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath.”
— ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2026
He added that following the closure, the ceremonial Doli would depart for the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath, where worship of Baba Kedar would continue during the winter months. The annual closure marks the conclusion of the Kedarnath pilgrimage season, with the shrine expected to reopen next year around Akshaya Tritiya. (ANI)
