Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee, on the occasion of Maha Shivratri, announced that the Kedarnath Temple will open on May 10 for devotees at 7 a.m.

The committee further informed that the Panchmukhi Doli will depart for Kedarnath Dham on May 6 and will reach Kedarnath Dham on May 9 evening after passing through various stops. The date of opening the portals was decided in a religious ceremony held at the Pachkadar Gaddi Sthal Shri Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath, in the presence of Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee President Ajendra Ajay.

On November 15, 2023, ahead of the winter season, the doors of the temple were closed. At the ceremony, the Indian Army played devotional sounds, and two thousand pilgrims witnessed the event.

Why Kedarnath Dham gets closed in winter season every year?

All routes to Kedarnath Dham are closed for six months due to heavy snowfall in the winter season. Every year after Diwali, on the occasion of Bhai Dooj in the winter, the doors of the Dham are closed. The temple then reopens in April or May.  

Significance of the Kedarnath Temple

Kedarnath Temple is one of the eleven Jyotirlinga in India. The holy Hindu site is visited by thousands of devotees and pilgrims each year. The pilgrimage is a component of Uttarakhand’s well-known Char Dham Yatra. Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri are the four sacred Hindu sites that are far high in the Himalayas and are covered throughout the yatra. The opening and closing of the temple are witnessed as a day of utmost importance, and a large number of devotees from across the world visit the holy temple to witness this moment. Kedarnath Dham can be reached via a challenging trek or helicopter ride. Kedarnath Dham offers a calm and peaceful atmosphere where devotees can indulge themselves in prayers and meditate in the beauty of the Himalayas.