The portals of the Hemkund Sahib and Laxman temple were closed for the winters on Wednesday. About 2500 pilgrims were present in Hemkund Sahib at the time of closing of portals. A total of 1.80 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at Hemkund Sahib this year. The ceremony of closing of portals started at 10 am on the day with chanting of Guruwani and Sabad Kirtan. The portals of the Lakshman temple nearby were also closed for winters on the day. The temple was decorated with marigold flowers. Both the shrines are located at a high altitude so this region is covered in snow during the winter. Every year during summer, the portals of the shrines are opened to the public in May and closed for the winters in October. Situated at about 14500 feet above sea level, these two shrines are visited by a large number of pilgrims.
