Lord Rudranath portals open May 18 amid heavy snowfall in Kedarnath

Lord Rudranath temple's portals will open on May 18, with the date announced on Basant Panchami. Meanwhile, heavy snowfall has intensified the cold in the Kedarnath Dham area. Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines closed in Oct and Nov 2025.

The portals of Lord Rudranath, the fourth Kedar among the Panch Kedars, will be opened for the summer season on May 18 at 12:58 PM. The date was announced on the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami at the winter seat of Lord Rudranath, the Gopinath Temple.

Heavy Snowfall Blankets Kedarnath

Meanwhile, the cold has intensified in the shrine area of the Kedarnath Dham and its surrounding areas as heavy snowfall blanketed the entire region on Friday morning, the temple committee said.

Details on Winter Closure of Shrines

Earlier, the portals of the world-famous eleventh Jyotirlinga, Kedarnath Dham, were ceremoniously closed for the winter season at 8:30 am on October 23, 2025, coinciding with Bhai Dooj (Kartik Shukla Saptami, Anuradha Nakshatra).

Before the closure, the temple was decorated with flowers, and the temple complex resonated with devotional music played by the Indian Army band and chants of "Jai Baba Kedar". Despite the cold weather, around 10,000 devotees gathered to witness the occasion. Following the rituals, the swayambhu Shivling of Lord Kedarnath was adorned with local sacred flowers, including Kumja, Bukla, Rakh, and Brahmakamal, along with dried flowers and leaves, symbolically giving it a samadhi form. The sanctum doors were then closed for the winter season amid chants of "Jai Baba Kedar".

Badrinath Dham Closure and Temple Details

Meanwhile, the portals of Badrinath Dham were closed for the winter season on November 25, 2025. Badrinath is one of the holiest shrines for Vaishnavites among the 108 Divya Desams and is also part of the Panch Badri temples, which include Yog Dhyan Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Adi Badri and Vriddha Badri.

The Badrinath temple, approximately 50 feet tall, features a small cupola topped with a gold-gilt roof. The shrine is divided into the Garbha Griha (sanctum sanctorum), Darshan Mandap and Sabha Mandap.

The Garbha Griha houses idols of Lord Badari Narayan, Kuber, Narad Rishi, Udhava, Nar, and Narayan, for a total of 15 idols in the complex.

Opposite the main idol, the seated idol of Garud, the vehicle of Lord Badarinath, is placed in a prayer posture. (ANI)

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