Uttarakhand: Panchmukhi idol reaches Kedarnath for final rituals as temple prepares to close for winter

PTC Web Desk: As winter approaches in Uttarakhand, the sacred Panchmukhi festival Idol of Baba Kedarnath reached the temple premises on Saturday, marking the traditional ritual before the temple doors close for the season.

Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) president Ajendra Ajay participated in the worship ceremony, highlighting the cultural and spiritual significance of the Panchmukhi festival idol. BKTC media-in-charge Harish Gaur said, "The doors of the Kedarnath Dham will officially close for winter on Bhai Dooj , November 3, at 8.30 am."

Following the closure, the Panchmukhi idol will be transported to its winter seat at Shri Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath, with stops along the way to allow devotees to offer their prayers.

"After the closure of the doors, the Panchmukhi festival idol of Baba Kedarnath will reach the winter seat Shri Omkareshwar Temple Ukhimath after staying at various stops", he added.

According to the temple committee, the idol of Lord Kedarnath was brought out of its storehouse, where it was then bathed and prepared by temple priests. Shivshankar Ling, along with Dharmadhikari Omkar Shukla and Vedpathi Swayamvar Semwal, led the prayer ceremonies as devotees gathered for a final darshan of the 'Panchmukhi Utsav' idol. The ritual symbolises the transition of the idol from Kedarnath to its winter location, honouring the divine presence even as the temple remains closed until spring.

In another important ceremony, the doors of Gangotri Dham temple on Saturday were being closed on the occasion of Annakoot, a day of thanksgiving and devotion. Before the doors were closed, priests performed a final puja and circumambulated the sacred premises.

These rituals, steeped in tradition, mark a profound time in the spiritual calendar of Uttarakhand, as devotees bid farewell to the holy shrines for the winter.