Uttarakhand: Panchmukhi idol arrives at Kedarnath for final rituals as temple closes for winters

Kedarnath (Uttarakhand) [India], November 2 : 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.
The 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.
The BKTC media-in-charge Dr. Harish Gaur, in a press release, said, "The doors of the Kedarnath Dham will officially close for winter on Bhaiya Dooj, November 3, at 8:30 am.
Following the closure, the Panchmukhi idol will be transported to its winter seat at the 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 symbolizes the transition of the idol from Kedarnath to its winter location, honoring 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.