Doors of Yamunotri and Gangotri shrines to close on Oct 29

Dehra Dun, Oct 8 (UNI) After six long months, the doors of two of Uttarakhand's most holy shrines - the Yamunotri and Gangotri - will close on October 29.

This was decided at a meeting of the Gangotri and Yamunotri Board today.

Chairman of the Board Harish Semwal said the closing ceremony of the two shrines would start at 12.15 hrs. The temples would be decorated lavishly to mark the closing rituals, he said.

He informed that the number of pilgrims who visited the Yamunotri-Gangotri Dhams this year had increased. This also led to an increase in the amount of revenue that the temple authorities recorded in terms of donations as compared to last year, he said.

Whereas last year, Rs 40 lakh was received by way of pilgrim donations to the temples, this year, it had increased to more than Rs one crore, Mr Semwal said.

He added that the exact figure could only be ascertained in March.

Meanwhile, the Kedarnath shrine doors would close on October 30 while the closing date of the Badrinath shrine would be decided after Diwali.

The Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri are the four holiest Hindu shrines in the region all located above 10,000 feet.

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