Amid Vedic hymns, army band and devotees' cheer, Kedarnath Dham closes for winters

Dehradun, Oct 27: Amidst cheers from assembled devotees, the portals of the famed Himalayan shrine Kedarnath Dham were shut on Thursday morning for the winter season.

It was closed at 8.20 am as per rituals with chanting of Vedic hymns accompanied by music played by local musical instruments, the tunes of the army band, and cheers of scores of devotees, ANI reported.

Panchmukhi movable Vigraha Utsav Doli (palanquin) was taken in a procession to the winter seat of Okareshwar Temple in Ukhimath.

The Hindu shrine remains closed for six months during winter. In 2022, the Chardham Yatra began on Akshaya Tritiya, on May 3 while the portals of Kedarnath Temple opened on May 6.

Once the doors are shut, Lord Kedarnath becomes austere for six months of winter in the Himalayas for the welfare of the world.

Meanwhile, the sanctum sanctorum of Kedarnath Dham was decorated with gold. The walls and ceiling of the sanctum sanctorum were given a new look with 550 gold layers.

The gold plating of the temple's walls was done after a Shiva devotee from Maharashtra volunteered to make an offering of gold for the purpose and his proposal was accepted by the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee with permission from the state government, PTI reported.