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A massive gathering of devotees assembled at Kedarnath Dham on Wednesday to catch the final glimpse of Lord Shiva ahead of the closing of the portals of the revered Himalayan shrine for the winter season at 8:30 AM, following traditional rituals and Vedic chanting.
The ceremonial palanquin (Chal Vigraha Utsav Doli) of Baba Kedar will now proceed to the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath, the deity's winter abode. The closure ceremony coincided with Bhai Dooj, with devotees from across the country and abroad gathering at the shrine to witness the occasion and seek the blessings of Lord Shiva before the temple shuts for approximately six months. Speaking to ANI, Chief Priest of Kedarnath Dham, Gangadhar Ling Maharaj, said that the closure was carried out after the prescribed religious ceremonies. "It is Bhai Dooj today. The portals of Kedarnath Dham will be closed today. Mahabhishek of Lord Shankar will be done this morning; prayers will be offered, and then the portals will be closed. Around 8:30 am, the main portals of the temple will be closed," he said. Following the closure, the ceremonial Doli of Baba Kedar will be taken to the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath, where the deity will be worshipped during the winter months. Meanwhile, Rudraprayag Superintendent of Police Niharika Tomar said elaborate security arrangements had been made for the closure ceremony and the subsequent journey of the ceremonial palanquin. "Following this, the Gaddi (deity's seat) will be taken from here to its winter seat in Ukhimath. Adequate security arrangements have been made here by the police. A guard of honour has been deployed here today for the Doli, along with mobile guards," Tomar told ANI. She added that security personnel had also been deployed at major halts along the Doli's route. The district police force would remain stationed at Kedarnath until the shrine reopens next year, while a platoon of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) would also be deployed. Tomar further said that arrangements were being made for security, traffic and route management during the winter pilgrimage in Ukhimath and appealed to devotees to visit the Omkareshwar Temple for darshan. The annual closure marks the conclusion of the Kedarnath pilgrimage season, with the shrine expected to reopen next year around Akshaya Tritiya, following the winter break. (ANI)
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