Badrinath Dham prepares to end winter with sacred rituals

The entire Badrinath Dham is preparing to close for the winter and the air is filled with devotion and tradition. At exactly 21:07 on 17 November 2024, the temple gates will close, marking the end of yet another Yatra season. Prior to this, a number of important rituals were performed to honor the season. Hundreds of kilos of votive offerings were prepared for the ritual decoration of the temple.

On Friday, November 15, the third day of the lockdown, the recitation of Vedic verses known as Veda Richas will stop, marking the transition into hibernation.

This symbolic act takes place after the formal handover of the Vedic Upanishads to the Rawal (high priest) and Dharmadhikari (religious leader) of the temple.

Performing the rituals at the solemn procession were Rawal Amarnath Namboodri, BKTC (Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee) Chief Executive Officer Vijay Prasad Thapliyal, Dharmadhikari Radhakrishna Thapliyal and Vedpathi Ravindra Bhatt.

Respectfully, the holy books will be closed and handed over to Dharmadhikari to be officially closed.

The rituals began earlier in the week when the gates of Shri Ganesh Temple closed on November 13, followed by the closure of Adi Kedareshwar and Adi Guru Shankaracharya temples.

These steps, which are part of the Grand Panch Puja, serve to prepare the entire temple complex for the long winter ahead.

During this holy period, even though the recitation of the Vedas stops, daily Abhishek Puja (ritual bathing) and other forms of worship will continue inside the temple.

Today, on November 16, a special ritual will take place where Rawal, Dharmadhikari and priests from Lakshmi Temple will offer Kadhai Prasad (sweet offering) and pray to Maa Lakshmi, seeking her blessings for the continued prosperity of the temple and the shrine. devotees.

The presence of Dimri Panchayat representatives, officials and pilgrims will add to the festive yet respectful atmosphere.

Closing the gates of Badrinath is not just a ritual but also a sacred tradition that marks the end of one chapter and the anticipation of the next.