Kedarnath: The sacred portals of Shri Kedarnath Dham were closed on Thursday morning, and Baba Kedar's revered 'doli' (palanquin) departed for its winter seat at the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath, amid devotional chants and the soulful tunes of the Garhwal Rifles band.

With this, three of the four shrines of the Char Dham Yatra have officially closed their doors for winter. While Gangotri Dham was closed on Wednesday, Kedarnath and Yamunotri Dham followed suit on Thursday.

The portals of Badrinath Dham will close on November 25, marking the formal conclusion of the Char Dham Yatra 2025.

According to the Badri-Kedar Temple Committee, special arrangements were made for devotees to have 'darshan' of Baba Kedar through the night.

Special arrangements

Devotees were allowed entry from midnight until 4 a.m., after which Baba Kedar's 'Samadhi Puja' was performed from 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. During the ritual, the self-manifested Shivalinga of the deity was ceremonially covered with sacred ashes, grains, fruits, flowers, Rudraksha, and a white cloth as per tradition. The inner sanctum was sealed at 6 a.m., and the main eastern gate was closed at exactly 8:30 a.m.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also offered prayers at the holy shrine before the closing ceremony.

As per the schedule, Baba Kedar's 'doli' carrying the five-headed idol will make its first halt at Rampur for the night before reaching Guptkashi on October 24.

The following day, October 25, the 'doli' will reach Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath, the deity's winter seat, where worship will continue for the next six months until the reopening of the portals next year.

The Char Dham Yatra is ongoing with great enthusiasm until Badrinath Dham closes. Since April 30 this year, over 4.5 million devotees have visited the Char Dham shrines. (IANS)