Uttarkashi: On the auspicious occasion of Annakoot, the revered Gangotri Temple in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, closed its doors for the winter season on Saturday at precisely 12:14 p.m. As per tradition, this marks the start of the goddess’s winter sojourn to Mukhba village, where Maa Ganga will be worshipped for the next six months. Located at a lofty altitude of approximately 10,000 feet in the Garhwal Himalayas, the Gangotri Temple is among the sacred Char Dham pilgrimage sites that close annually for winter.
Suresh Semwal, Secretary of the Gangotri Mandir Samiti, shared that the temple’s closure was conducted with reverent rituals, filling the air with chants of “Har Har Gange” and “Jai Maa Gange.” After the doors were sealed, the idol of Goddess Ganga was ceremoniously placed in a decorated palanquin for her journey to Mukhba, where devotees will offer prayers to the goddess throughout the colder months.
Winter Closures Continue for Other Char Dhams, Record Pilgrim Turnout
With the onset of winter, the Char Dham sites begin their seasonal closure. Following Gangotri, the doors of Yamunotri and Kedarnath temples are scheduled to close on Sunday, November 3, coinciding with Bhai Dooj. Yamunotri’s idol will be taken to Kharsali village, where pilgrims can worship Maa Yamuna until the spring. The grand Kedarnath temple, adorned with around ten quintals of flowers, will also close its doors at 8:30 a.m. on Bhai Dooj, attracting large crowds expected for the ceremonial closure.
Badrinath to Close on November 17, Marking the End of Pilgrimage Season
Badrinath, the final temple among the Char Dhams to remain open, is set to close its doors on November 17, concluding the annual pilgrimage season. This year saw an overwhelming turnout, with more than 800,000 pilgrims visiting Gangotri alone. Each year, as the winter chill sets in, the doors of these ancient Himalayan temples are closed, reopening to devotees with elaborate rituals in April or May.
