First snow of the season falls in Badrinath Dham just before temple gates close
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First snow of the season falls in Badrinath Dham just before temple gates close

An unexpected weather change awaited in the world-renowned Badrinath Dham in the state of Uttarakhand: just one day before the closing of the temple gates, the entire complex was covered in a blanket of snow by Lord Badri Vishal. Heavy snowfall has been continuing here since early Sunday morning. The snow covers not only the temple grounds but also the surrounding mountains, houses, shops, and hotels, creating the impression that nature itself is preparing for the winter stay of Lord Badri Vishal.

The temple gates of Badrinath Dham will be closed for winter on November 16 at 21:37. Thus, only one day remains until the end of the pilgrimage. Despite the severe cold and incessant snowfall, the enthusiasm of the pilgrims remains high. Devotees continue to move around the temple premises, in the assembly hall, and in the open area.

Pilgrims undertake the pilgrimage while admiring the wonderful views and capturing this beauty on their mobile cameras. Many travelers share these stunning landscapes with their families. Due to the constant snowfall, the temperature has dropped sharply, and a harsh chill has set in across the region. The surrounding hills are completely covered in snow.

According to religious beliefs, during the six months of winter, worship of Lord Badri Vishal is performed by the gods. However, for six months, pilgrims are blessed to see and worship God. Therefore, the first snowfall of the season, which occurred immediately before the gates closed, gave the atmosphere of the Dham a truly divine character.

Usually, people avoid going out of their homes in such severe cold, but the faith of the pilgrims proves stronger than the weather difficulties. Amidst the white snow cover and continuous flakes, the pilgrims demonstrate incredible enthusiasm. Pilgrims who arrived from Merata, Rishikesh, and Dehradun expressed delight at the first snowfall of the season. They reported that they had never seen such magnificent snowfall in Badrinath before. According to them, visiting Lord Badri Vishal amidst the snowfall is an incredible experience.

Pilgrims reported feeling inner peace and great happiness after visiting the temple. They called this beautiful sight a blessing from Lord Badri Vishal and wished prosperity for the country and the state. Furthermore, the pilgrims urged people to maintain cleanliness and dignity in places of worship. They emphasized that faith should not be trifled with. As preparations are made for the gate closure, the enthusiasm of people coming for worship amidst the snowfall shows that even weather difficulties cannot break their faith.

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Char Dham Yatra 2026 concludes on November 16 with the closure of the Badrinath temple after three other shrines close
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Char Dham Yatra 2026 concludes on November 16 with the closure of the Badrinath temple after three other shrines close

The spiritual journey of Char Dham Yatra 2026 has been historic in terms of the number of pilgrims. Over 2.27 million pilgrims visited only the Badrinath temple, setting a new record. Despite the cold and snowfall, the flow of pilgrims to Badrinath continued uninterrupted.

The temples of Gangotri, Yamunotri, and Kedarnath have been closed for the winter period, and now the process of closing the Badrinath temple has begun. In Badrinath, which is called Bhu-Vaikuntha, the countdown has started until the winter gates are closed as part of the traditional Panch Puja. On the first day of Panch Puja, after worshipping Lord Ganesha, the gates of the Ganesha temple were closed late in the evening.

The gates of Lord Badri Vishal will be closed on November 16 at 21:37. After the temple closes, the tradition of worshipping the deities will continue for six months. During this period, pilgrims will not be able to see Lord Badri Vishal; however, they can see his representative Uddha and the guardian of the divine treasure Kubera in the winter abode of Pandukeswar. Additionally, the Nrisingh temple in Jotirmath, where the throne of Adi Guru Shankaracharya is located, can be visited.

According to Vedic traditions and mythological beliefs, a five-day ritual of Panch Puja is conducted in Badrinath. Religious ceremonies are performed in the presence of Raval Ambarnat Nambudri, Dharmadhikari Swayambara Semvala, and Vedapats. On the first day of Panch Puja, the statue of Lord Ganesha was moved from the temple premises to the main shrine. After the worship concluded, the gates of the Ganesha temple were closed for winter.

On the second day of Panch Puja, Friday, the gates of Adi Kedaresha and the Adi Guru Shankaracharya temple will be closed. On the third day, Saturday, November 14, the process of reading Veda-Purans, Vedic hymns, and books with swords will conclude. On the fourth day, Sunday, November 15, Mate Lakshmi will be offered a special offering in the form of embroidery. After this, the chief priest (Raval) will invite Mate Lakshmi along with Lord Narayana into the main shrine.

On the last day, Monday, November 16, Mate Lakshmi will be placed in the main shrine, and at an auspicious time at 21:37, the gates of Lord Badri Vishal will be closed for the winter period. Vedapat Badrinath Dr. Amit Bandolia reported that Char Dham Yatra 2026 is coming to an end. The gates of the three temples are already closed, and Panch Puja has begun in Badrinath. Rituals will be conducted according to the set schedule over five days, and on November 16, the gates of Lord Badri Vishal will be closed for winter.

The next day, Tuesday, November 17, representatives of Lord Badri Vishal, the guardian of the divine treasure Kubera and Garuda, as well as the sacred throne of Adi Guru Shankaracharya, will depart to Pandukeswar and the Nrisingh temple in Jotirmath for their winter stay. Thus, the Badrinath journey for 2026 will officially conclude.

Large flow of pilgrims and severe traffic jam observed at Badrinath Dham temple gates before closure
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Large flow of pilgrims and severe traffic jam observed at Badrinath Dham temple gates before closure

The high level of enthusiasm among pilgrims continues in the famous temple complex of Badrinath Dham in Uttarakhand. Despite the planned closure of the temple gates for the winter period on November 16, a huge number of devotees continue to arrive at the temple, and the crowds are not decreasing.

Even after the end of the Diwali festival, pilgrims are arriving in Badrinath Dham from all over the country. On Tuesday morning, Badrinath Dham looked lively due to the large gathering of devotees. Because a large number of pilgrims are arriving for the final stage of the pilgrimage, the atmosphere of a festival is maintained in the temple.

A serious traffic jam was observed on the national highway to Badrinath between Joshimath and Vishnuprayag, in the Marwari area. Part of the road was damaged, causing vehicles to be moved one by one. This led to the formation of long queues of vehicles on both sides of the road, and travelers have to contend with traffic jams.

Usually, there is a significant decrease in the number of pilgrims at this time of year, but this time, a huge crowd remains in Badrinath Dham even in the last days of the pilgrimage. Thanks to the arrival of a record number of pilgrims, the pilgrimage to Badrinath Dham seems to be setting new records.

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