Kedarnath and Yamunotri portals close for winter on Bhai Dooj, Badrinath to follow on 13 November
Gangotri closed on 10 November, and Badrinath is the last Char Dham shrine to shut, on 13 November.
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The Kedarnath Yamunotri portals close for the winter on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, on the occasion of Bhai Dooj, IANS reported. The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee had fixed the Kedarnath ceremony for 8.30 am, PTI reported earlier. One shrine is left after today.
When the Kedarnath Yamunotri portals close on Bhai Dooj
“The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee said that the portals of the Kedarnath Temple will be closed on the day of Bhai Dooj at 8.30 am,” PTI said. UNI reported on Tuesday that both shrines shut on Wednesday morning with traditional rituals.
Gangotri Dham closed a day earlier, on 10 November. Badrinath is the last of the four to go, with its portals due to close on 13 November, IANS said. For the build-up to the Kedarnath ceremony, see our earlier report on the Rudraprayag administration’s arrangements.
Where the dolis spend the winter in Ukhimath and Kharsali
“Following the closure, the sacred idol of Lord Kedarnath will be carried in a ceremonial procession, known as the Utsav Doli, to its winter seat at the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath,” IANS said. PTI’s schedule has the procession leaving the shrine today and arriving at its destination two days later.
The story at Yamunotri is shorter. After the closing rituals, the doli of Goddess Yamuna goes down to Kharsali, her winter abode, IANS reported. Pilgrims who cannot reach the high-altitude temple in snow can still pray at the village instead.
How the Char Dham Yatra season is winding down
The closures come in stages across Uttarakhand. Tungnath shut first, on 6 November, and Gangotri followed on 10 November. Kedarnath and Yamunotri close together today. Madmaheshwar is next in line, with its portals closing on 16 November, per PTI, and its palanquin reaches the Omkareshwar Temple on 19 November.
By then the Char Dham Yatra will be over for the year, and the hill temples will sit under snow until the portals reopen in spring.
What happens next for the Kedarnath Yamunotri portals
Baba Kedar’s doli now travels towards its winter seat over two days. Badrinath’s closing follows after that. The reports do not give a time for the Yamunotri closing or for the Badrinath ceremony, so devotees planning a visit should check with the temple committee first.
The closures end the Char Dham Yatra season and shift worship to Ukhimath and Kharsali for the winter. Devotees who miss the high-altitude temples can still pray at the winter seats, and Badrinath's closing on 13 November completes the season.