Portals of Kedarnath, Yamunotri to close for winters today

DEHRADUN: The portals of Kedarnath and Yamunotri temples in Uttarakhand will be closed for winter starting today.

The portals to remain shut for six months.

The sacred portals of Gangotri on friday were closed while the Badrinath temple will be closed for winter on November 20.

Gangotri Mandir Samiti co-secretary Rajesh Semwal said the temple gates were closed at 11.45 am.

The idol of Goddess Ganga was then taken on a palanquin decked with flowers for Mukhba village, her winter abode, he said.

Over 32,948 pilgrims visited Gangotri this season after the temple was opened for devotees in September amid Covid restrictions such as a limit on the number of devotees.

The shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri are commonly known as Char Dham and with the closure of the Himalayan temples, the annual Char Dham Yatra of Uttarakhand will come to an end