Kedarnath temple portals closed for winter; deity's palanquin begins journey to Ukhimath

Kedarnath, perched at more than 3,500 metres in the Garhwal Himalayas, is one of Hinduism’s most revered pilgrimage sites. Each year the shrine faces heavy snowfall that makes access impossible and threatens the ancient structure. For this reason the temple has a long‑standing practice of closing its doors for the winter months, a routine that protects both the deity’s image and the surrounding environment.

At dawn on Thursday, a group of priests gathered in the inner sanctum and began the relocation of the deity’s palanquin. The procession was accompanied by special prayers, the sounding of conches and the chanting of verses that have been used for generations. All rituals were performed according to the customary code, and the final act of sealing the temple doors was timed to coincide with an astrologically favorable hour, a detail that devotees consider essential for the sanctity of the rite.

The closure affects thousands of pilgrims who travel to Kedarnath during the summer season. With the temple shut, visitors are redirected to alternative routes and are advised to plan their journeys around the seasonal schedule. The deity will remain in Ukhimath, a nearby town that serves as the winter abode, until the snow recedes and the doors reopen in the spring, allowing the pilgrimage to resume safely and in accordance with tradition.