Badrinath (Uttarakhand) [India], September 28 : The date for the ceremonial closure (Kapat) of Shri Badrinath Dham will be officially decided on Vijayadashami, Thursday, 2nd October, said the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) on Sunday.
A grand religious ceremony will be organised in the Shri Badrinath temple premises in the afternoon to determine the closure date. During the event, the Dharmadhikari and Vedic scholars will finalise the date based on Panchang calculations, in the presence of officials from the BKTC.
The Rawal of Badrinath Dham will then formally announce the closure date of the temple.
As per the release, on the same day, the schedule for the traditional Panch Pujas, which take place before the closure, will also be finalised. Additionally, the auspicious time (muhurat) for the departure of Shri Uddhav Ji and Shri Kuber Ji to Pandukeshwar, and for the Adi Guru Shankaracharya's Gaddi and Vishnu's vehicle, Shri Garud Ji, to proceed to their winter seat at Shri Narsingh Temple, Jyotirmath, will be decided.
On this occasion, the ceremonial turban (Pagdi) for Bhandar Seva for the upcoming 2026 pilgrimage season will also be presented.
Simultaneously, at the Panch Kedar winter seat, Shri Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath (Rudraprayag), the date for the closure of the second Kedar - Shri Madmaheshwar Ji's portals will be decided. Similarly, at Shri Markateshwar Temple, Makkumath (Rudraprayag), the date for the closure of the third Kedar - Shri Tungnath Ji's portals will also be determined.
Badrinath, one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites, is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and attracts lakhs of devotees every year.
Earlier on Saturday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami flagged off the sacred Chhari Yatra from the courtyard of the Adhisthatri Maya Devi Temple in the holy city of Haridwar.
The ceremony took place with full Vedic rituals and chanting of mantras, marking the commencement of the yatra to Uttarakhand's four revered dhams, a release said.
Before sending off the sacred Chhari, the Chief Minister performed its ritual abhishek (ceremonial bathing) and offered prayers to Mahamaya Devi at the Maya Devi Temple. He also honoured and felicitated the saints present on the occasion and sought their blessings.