Snowfall blankets Kedarnath Dham, harsh winter conditions grip shrine

Rudraprayag (Uttarakhand) [India], January 3 (ANI): The snowfall at Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand has covered the temple premises and surrounding areas in a thick white blanket of snow as winter showed its full impact with the onset of the New Year.
Heavy snowfall since Friday afternoon has blanketed the entire region, intensifying the cold and beginning to affect daily life in and around the shrine area. The weather at Kedarnath Dham remains harsh, with biting cold due to continuous snowfall.
The ongoing reconstruction work at Kedarnath Dham is also facing delays due to extreme cold and snow accumulation, which have significantly slowed construction.
In October, Uttarakhand Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (Retd.) visited the Kedarnath Dham and inspected ongoing construction and development work.
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."
Meanwhile, the portals of Shri 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)