Rudraprayag: After the portal closing ceremony for Kedarnath and Yamunotri shrines held on the occasion of ‘Bhai Dooj’ on Sunday, the portals of third Kedar ‘Tungnath’ also got closed today, on Monday, for the six-month long winter break in Uttarakhand.
Third among the ‘Panch Kedar’, the highest Shiva temple in the world, Tungnath portals were closed for the winter season today at 11 am on the auspicious time with rituals. The temple was decorated on this occasion. After the closing of the doors, the festive palanquin of Lord Tungnath left for the first stay Chopta with the local musical instruments Dhol-Damau and the proclamation of ‘Baba Tungnath ki Jai’. More than five hundred devotees were present on this occasion.
Portals of Kedarnath and Yamunotri closed on Sunday
On the occasion of Bhai Dooj on Sunday, the portals of Kedarnath shrine and Yamunotri shrines, two of four revered Char Dham shrines in Uttarakhand, were closed for the six-month long winter break. With the portal closing ceremony concluded at Kedarnath shrine, the Panchmukhi Utsav Doli of Lord Kedarnath departed for its winter seat in Omkareshwar temple situated at Ukhimath in Rudraprayag district. Thousands of devotees also set off with Lord Kedarnath’s Panchmukhi Doli. Meanwhile, in Uttarkashi district, the portals of Yamunotri shrine, dedicated to Goddess Yamuna, were also closed for the winter stay on Sunday.
This year, 1.75 lakh devotees reached Shri Tungnath
At the ‘Tungnath’ portal closing ceremony, Badrinath – Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) president Ajendra Ajay wished the devotees and informed them that this year, more than one lakh seventy thousand pilgrims visited Lord Tungnath Ji. Today, on 4 November, the temple was opened at 4:30 am. After the morning prayers, the devotees had darshan of Lord Tungnath ji. The process of closing the gates started in the temple sanctum sanctorum at exactly 10 am. The self-manifested Shivling of Lord Tungnath was taken to the Samadhi form in a decorated form. The Shivling was covered with local flowers, fruits, flowers and Akshat. After the closing of the gates, after circumambulating the temple with the temple committee employees and devotees, the right holders of Akhodi and Hudu villages left for Chopta with the movable idol of Lord Tungnath ji.
Lord Tungnath will be seated in the winter seat of Shri Marketeshwar Temple
In a press release issued by BKTC media in-charge Dr. Harish Gaur, he said that on Monday, 4th November, the movable idol doli of Lord Tungnathji will stay in Chopta. On 5-6 November, the movable idol doli will stay in the second stop, Bhankun. On 7 November, the movable idol doli of Lord Tungnathji will be seated in the winter seat of Shri Marketeshwar Temple Makkumath. With this, the winter worship of Lord Tungnathji will begin in Shri Marketeshwar Temple Makkumath.
