Kedarnath, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas and a major pilgrimage site in Uttarakhand, attracts millions of devotees every year. On Thursday, all portals for the dham were closed for the winter season. The closing ceremony featured Vedic chants, prayers, as well as devotional tunes played by the Indian Army band. Keep reading to know more about the closing ritual at Kedarnath Dham.
Kedarnath Dham Closes For Winter
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami attended the ceremony, joining thousands of devotees who came to seek blessings before the temple gates were shut for the season. The temple was beautifully decorated with flowers for the rituals. Despite the freezing temperatures, nearly 10,000 devotees gathered to witness the ceremony and receive blessings, according to Hindustan Times.
Priests performed special yagya rituals and offered prayers, then covered the Shivling inside the temple with flowers. In the presence of Chief Minister Dhami, temple authorities closed the eastern and southern gates, officially starting the winter break.
Also Read: Kedarnath Yatra Temporarily Suspended Due To Landslide Near Munkatiya; 2000 Pilgrims Stranded
More About the Closing Ceremony
After the rituals, temple staff carried the Panchmukhi Utsav Doli—a ceremonial palanquin holding the idol of Lord Kedarnath—around the temple. They will then take it to Rampur for its first stop. From there, the palanquin will move to Shri Vishwanath Temple in Guptkashi on Friday before reaching the winter residence of Lord Kedarnath at Shri Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath on Saturday.
At Ukhimath, priests will continue worshipping the deity for the next six months, until Kedarnath reopens in spring 2026. This allows devotees to offer prayers even when the main temple remains closed due to harsh winter conditions. Hindustan Times reported that 17,68,795 devotees visited Kedarnath in 2025, up from 16,52,076 in 2024.
We can’t wait for Kedarnath Dham to open next year!
Also Read: Kedarnath Dham Receives Season’s First Snowfall; Devotees Celebrate The Magical Himalayan View
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/ Piyush Bhardwaj