Gangotri Dham’s doors closed for winter; Temple decorated with 5 quintals of flowers
Babushahi Bureau
Joshimath (Uttarakhand), November 10, 2026: The doors of Gangotri Dham in Uttarakhand were closed for the winter season on Tuesday at 12:05 pm amid Vedic chants and religious rituals.
Before the closure, the temple was adorned with five quintals of flowers. Following the ceremony, the ceremonial palanquin of Goddess Ganga began its journey to Mukhba, her winter abode, accompanied by an Army band.
The palanquin will cover approximately 25 km, halting at Bhairav Temple and Markandeya Temple along the route. It will reach Mukhba Temple on November 11, where Goddess Ganga will be worshipped for the next six months. Devotees will be able to offer prayers and seek blessings there during the winter period.
The doors of Gangotri Dham had opened for devotees on April 19 this year.
The shrine recorded a morning temperature of minus 10 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, while daytime temperatures remained between minus 2 and minus 3 degrees Celsius.
Around 200 devotees were present at the shrine in the morning, with the number rising to more than 1,000 before the doors were closed. According to the temple committee, approximately 10 lakh devotees visited Gangotri Dham during this year’s pilgrimage season.