The authorities in charge of the Kedarnath Temple have announced that the revered shrine will shut down for the winter season from November 3, 2024, at 8:30 AM. Vijay Prasad Thapliyal, the chief official of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee, confirmed the news.
After the closure of the temple gates, the idol of Lord Kedarnath will be carried by priests on their shoulders in a palanquin to Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath via Rampur, Feta and Guptkashi. It will reach Ukhimath on November 5. Lord Kedarnath is worshipped at the Omkareshwar Temple during winter when the Himalayan temple remains covered in snow.
November 3 is also Bhai Dooj, a holy Hindu festival that celebrates the bonds of a sister and brother. Among the other Char Dhams, Yamunotri’s doors will also close on Bhai Dooj, while Gangotri’s doors will be shut the day after Diwali, on the occasion of Annakut. The closure date for the Badrinath Temple will be decided during the Dussehra festival. Located in the upper Garhwal region, the Kedarnath Temple and the other Char Dhams close every year in October-November and reopen the following year in April-May.
As per ancient legend, Lord Vishnu’s incarnations, the great sages Nar and Narayan, performed intense penance on the Kedarnath peak in the Himalayas. Pleased with their devotion, Lord Shiva appeared and, at their request, granted them a boon to reside forever in the form of a Jyotirlinga.
There is also a connection between this temple and the Pandavas from the “Mahabharata.” As the legend goes, while the Pandavas were journeying to heaven after the Kurukshetra war, Lord Shiva appeared to them in the form of a bull. When the bull tried to sink into the earth, Bhima managed to grab its tail. The spot where this occurred is now known as the Kedarnath Dham.
It is said that the Pandavas built the original Kedarnath Temple, though it disappeared over time. In the 8th century, the Vedic scholar and philosopher Adi Shankaracharya reconstructed the temple. His memorial stands right behind the temple today.
(With inputs from multiple news sources)