Dehradun: The portals of Shri Kedarnath Dham and Shri Yamunotri Dham will close on Wednesday on the occasion of Bhai Dooj, marking the end of the annual pilgrimage season at the two revered Himalayan shrines.
At Shri Kedarnath Dham, the closing ceremony will be performed amid traditional Vedic chants and resounding chants of “Har Har Mahadev”. The occasion will mark the last opportunity for devotees to offer prayers at one of Hinduism’s most revered shrines before the temple closes for the winter months.
Following the closure, the sacred idol of Lord Kedarnath will be carried in a ceremonial procession, known as the Utsav Doli, to its winter seat at the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath. The deity will be worshipped there for the next six months, in accordance with the centuries-old tradition of winter worship.
Similarly, after the closing rituals at Shri Yamunotri Dham, the ceremonial palanquin, or Doli, of Goddess Yamuna will be taken to Kharsali, where the goddess will reside at her winter abode. The winter seat is located at the Saraswati/Shani Dev Temple, where devotees will be able to offer prayers and seek her blessings throughout the winter season.
Although the main high-altitude temple at Yamunotri will remain closed during the winter months, devotees can continue to have darshan of Goddess Yamuna and offer prayers at her winter seat in Kharsali.
Devotees from different parts of the country gathered in large numbers to witness the closing ceremonies and seek blessings at the sacred shrines.
The occasion holds special religious significance as the annual pilgrimage season draws to a close and the deities are moved to their respective winter abodes.
Meanwhile, the Char Dham pilgrimage is approaching its conclusion for the year as the onset of winter makes access to the high-altitude shrines increasingly difficult.
Shri Gangotri Dham was closed on November 10, while the portals of Shri Badrinath Dham are scheduled to close on November 13, bringing the annual Char Dham Yatra to an end for the season.
–IANS
