Badrinath, October 2: The Shri Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) has announced the closure dates for the Himalayan shrines of Kedarnath and Badrinath for the upcoming winter season. The portals of Kedarnath Dham will shut on October 23, while Badrinath Dham will close on November 25 at 2:56 PM.
The schedule was finalised on Vijayadashami during a traditional ceremony at the Badrinath temple. Dharmadhikari and Vedic scholars set the timings after Panchang calculations in the presence of BKTC officials. The Rawal of Badrinath Dham formally declared the dates.
As part of the rituals, the ceremonial turban (Pagdi) for Bhandar Seva of the 2026 pilgrimage season was presented. The calendar for the customary Panch Pujas, which are performed before the portals close, will also be determined.
The auspicious muhurat for the departure of Shri Uddhav Ji and Shri Kuber Ji to Pandukeshwar, along with the shifting of Adi Guru Shankaracharya’s Gaddi and Shri Garud Ji to the Narsingh Temple in Jyotirmath, will be announced shortly. Similarly, at the Panch Kedar winter seat in Ukhimath’s Omkareshwar Temple, the date for Shri Madmaheshwar Ji’s closure will be finalised. The portals of Shri Tungnath Ji in Makkumath, Rudraprayag, will also be shut after a separate ritual at Shri Markateshwar Temple.
Badrinath, devoted to Lord Vishnu, and Kedarnath, dedicated to Lord Shiva, form part of the sacred Char Dham circuit that draws lakhs of devotees every year. Located at 3,584 meters above sea level on the banks of the Mandakini River, Kedarnath remains one of India’s most revered shrines, with its closure marking the end of the pilgrimage season.
