Monday, 16 October 2023 | PNS | NEW TEHRI

The ritual process of closing the Char Dham temples for the Winter began on Sunday with the date for closure of the Gangotri Temple being announced. This shrine in the Uttarkashi district will be closed to the public for the winters on November 14. The date was announced on the first day of Sharadiya Navratri. The Gangotri temple will be closed to the public on the occasion of Annakoot at 11:45 AM during the Abhijeet Muhoort.

The Shri Panch Gangotri Temple Committee secretary Suresh Semwal informed that after the closing of the Gangotri temple to the public on November 14, the Utsav Doli of Mother Ganga will leave for her maternal home in Mukhba. The procession will halt for the night at Bhairon Ghati. The process of the goddess will reach Mukhba on November 15 on the occasion of Bhaidooj.

It is pertinent to mention here that the closure of the Gangotri shrine will start the process of closure of the Char Dham shrines to the public for the winter. The dates for the closure of other shrines are yet to be announced. It will be recalled that more than 47 lakh people have visited the Char Dham temples so far this year. Further, the value of bookings made in Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam guest houses on the Yatra routes has reached 26.68 crore since February 16.