The portals of Hemkund Sahib and lakshman temple in Chamoli district were closed to the public for the winters on Friday. These shrines will now be reopened to the public in May next year.
Situated at about 4,329 metres above sea level, these two shrines are visited by thousands of people every year though the June 2013 disaster affected the flow of pilgrims to the shrines. Every year during summer, the portals of the shrines are opened to the public in May and closed for the winters in October.
On Friday, the portals of these shrines were closed ceremoniously. The ceremonies at Hemkund Sahib on Friday began at 6.30 am with prayers and chanting. The portals of this shrine were closed ritually at 1.30 pm in the presence of several devotees. The portals of the lakshman temple nearby were also closed to the public at 12.30 pm. On the occasion, scores of villagers from Bhyundar and Pulna villages were present. The shrines are located at a high altitude so this region is covered in snow during the winter.