The Badrinath Dham, which is among the most sacred of pilgrimage spots of the Char Dham Yatra, in Uttarakhand, formally closed down for the winter season today. This religious closing ceremony was done in all its ceremonial traditions, and the pilgrimage period of this year came to an end as the Himalayan region is on the verge of extreme cold, snow, and the stopping of its road network in the coming months.
The antique shrine of Lord Vishnu, before the closure, had exquisitely adorned 12 quintals of fresh flowers, making the whole complex a spectacular sight. Marigold and other colourful seasonal flowers were used to decorate the main entrance, pillars, lanes and sanctum and gave the air of divinity to the last darshan of the year. The first arriving devotees and pilgrims took the memorable view and prayed in front of the gates that were to be closed at the end of the season.
Kapat bandhan was the closing ceremony performed in front of senior priests, and the members of the temple committee and hundreds of devotees who attended in spite of the falling temperatures. The rituals involved recitation of Vedic hymns, customary worship and a ritualistic transfer of responsibility of the temples in the winter months.
According to the old tradition, the idol of Lord Badri Vishal will now be transported to Narasingh Temple in Joshimath, where it will be worshipped during winter, since the time of closing the portals. This ritual transition means that the worshippers can keep making prayers until that temple is reopened in spring, typically sometime in April or May, depending on the auspicious day as determined based on the Hindu calendar.
The pilgrimage season was marked by a great number of devotees this year, not only in India but also in other countries. The administration of the locality and the Badri-Kedar Temple Committee announced a successful season of yatra with enhanced facilities, proper management of the crowds and smoother travel arrangements in spite of the mountainous path.
To the local economy, the end of the season starts with the closure. Hotels, stores, transport companies and guides that depend on pilgrim tourism are now ready to expect less business during the low season as the snowfalls leave the area almost unreachable. In the meantime, residents prepare to be frozen and heavily snowed in, in which case the area is normally deserted by wintertime.
Since the weather is so extreme during winter, Badrinath Dham is not safe to travel at an altitude of about 10,000 feet in the Chamoli district. The closeness of the season is an old practice that captures the natural process of the Himalayas and the overall cultural importance of the shrine.
As the gates are now closed until the following several months, the devotees are awaiting the spring opening when pilgrimage traditions can be followed with renewed enthusiasm and festivity.
