The Doors of Shri Kedarnath Dham Closed for the Season; Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami Present

The sacred doors (Kapat) of the world-famous 11th Jyotirlinga, Shri Kedarnath Dham, were formally closed for the winter season at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 23, 2025 (Bhai Dooj, Kartik Shukla Saptami, Anuradha Nakshatra), in the presence of Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami.

This year witnessed a record pilgrimage, with over 17.68 lakh devotees visiting Baba Kedar, surpassing last year’s figure of 16.52 lakh devotees. Before the closing, the temple was beautifully decorated with flowers, and the army band filled the air with devotional tunes, accompanied by chants of “Jai Baba Kedar” and “Har Har Mahadev.” Despite the cold weather, around 10,000 devotees were present to witness this historic and emotional moment.

Rituals Before the Closure

Before the temple doors were shut, the main priest Bagesh Ling and other Acharyas performed traditional rituals, including Yajna, Havan, and Samadhi Poojan. The self-manifested Shivling of Lord Kedarnath was ceremonially covered with sacred local flowers such as Kumja, Bukla, Brahmakamal, and dry flower petals, symbolically placing the deity in a meditative state (Samadhi form) for the winter.

Afterwards, the sanctum doors were closed amidst chants of “Jai Baba Kedar.” Following this, in the presence of the Chief Minister, the eastern and southern gates of the temple were sealed for the season.

Departure of the Panchmukhi Utsav Doli

After the closing ceremony, the Panchmukhi Utsav Doli (five-faced festive palanquin of Lord Kedarnath) began its journey from the temple premises, proceeding to its first halt at Rampur. The entire Kedarpuri reverberated with chants and the sounds of the army band, as priests, devotees, and doli bearers joined in devotion.

On Friday, October 24, the Doli will reach Shri Vishwanath Temple, Guptkashi, and after an overnight halt, it will proceed to its winter seat at Shri Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath, on Saturday, October 25.

Chief Minister’s Remarks

Addressing devotees, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami extended greetings to all pilgrims from India and abroad. He said that the grand reconstruction of Kedarpuri was carried out as per Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary guidance, making Kedarnath even more divine and majestic.

He announced that in 2025, the Char Dham Yatra witnessed over 50 lakh pilgrims, setting a new record. The Chief Minister also urged devotees to visit the winter abodes of the four shrines, encouraging winter tourism and pilgrimage, which would help sustain the livelihood of local traders, homestay owners, and hotel operators.

Dhami also thanked all departments, security forces, temple committees, volunteers, local citizens, and devotees for ensuring a smooth, safe, and successful pilgrimage season. He appreciated their efforts in maintaining order despite occasional natural challenges and confirmed that adequate security arrangements will continue throughout the winter at Kedarnath Dham, along with encouragement for winter worship activities.

Dignitaries Present

The closing ceremony was attended by Kedarnath MLA Asha Nautiyal, Rudraprayag Zila Panchayat President Poonam Kathait, BKTTC Chairman Hemant Dwivedi, BJP District President Bharat Bhushan Bhatt, Agriculture Marketing Board Chairman Anil Dabbu, BKTTC Vice President Rishi Prasad Sati, District Magistrate Prateek Jain, Superintendent of Police Akshay Prahlad Konde, and other distinguished guests.

(Source: Department of Information and Public Relations)