With winters long march around the corner, the 2018 Chardham Yatra is coming to an end.
Traditionally, the world-famous Chardham pilgrimage comes to a halt towards first week of November when the shrines become inaccessible due to heavy snowfall. Following spring, on Basant Panchami the dates for the re-opening of the shrines are announced as per ancient rites and rituals।
Along with the famous-four i.e. Gangotri, Yamnotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath, the first to close its portals was Hemkund Sahib, the Sikh place of worship situated at an elevation of 15,197 feet in Chamoli, Uttarakhand. Hemkund, opened for pilgrimage on the 25th of May this year and closed on 10th of October amidst the chanting of Gurubani, in the interiors of Garhwal Himalaya.
Close on its heals are the shrines of Gangotri and Yamunotri, the source of the Ganga and the Yamuna River respectively which will close for winter on the 8th and 9th of November.
The dates for the closure of Badrinath and Kedarnath were announced on Vijaydashmi, in which it was announced that Badrinath Shrine, Vishnu’s abode in the hill-state will close for pilgrimage on the 20th of November and Kedarnath, Shiva’s highest temple will close on the 9th of November at 3:21 p.m.
Tradition has it, that the annual Chardham pilgrimage in Uttarakhand begins in the month of April/May and works in a west to east direction in a clockwise manner. It begins from Yamunotri onto Gangotri and then proceeds to Kedarnath temple, terminating at Badrinath.
To date, since 4th of March 2018 when the portals re-opened, a whooping seven lakh pilgrims and counting have made their way to the four-shrines including, Hemkund Sahib, a record pilgrimage.
The closing of Tungnath Temple on 29th of October and Madmaheshwar on 22nd November will toll the end of the Chardham Pilgrimage for the year 2018.
