One of the holiest pilgrimages in India, the Char Dham Yatra is a spiritual journey that attracts numerous of devotees every year. This pilgrimage includes visiting of four sacred shrines: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath, each of which holds immense significance in Hindu culture. As the 2024 season ending the closing dates of these temples have been officially announced by the committee providing vital information to pilgrims scheduling their visit.

According to the tradition, Char Dham Yatra should be done in clockwise direction, starting with Yamunotri followed by Gangotri, then Kedarnath and ending with Badrinath. Each shrine is dedicated to a specific deity – Yamunotri to Goddess Yamuna, Gangotri to Goddess Ganga, Kedarnath to Lord Shiva and Badrinath to Lord Vishnu. In Hinduism it is believed that visiting these temples once in a life leads to the way of Moksha (salvation).

The closing dates for the Char Dham Yatra 2024 have been set as follows:

• Gangotri temple: This sacred shrine will close with the Annakut Festival (Gowardhan Pooja) on November 2, 2024at 12:14 pm. The ceremony will follow traditional rituals to ensure that devotees can attend the final rites before the winter holidays. Suresh Semwal secretary of the Gangotri temple committee stresses the grandness of the event for the local community and pilgrims.

• Yamunotri temple: The Yamunotri temple sacred to goddess Yamuna has end during the auspicious ‘Bhai Dooj’ festival on November 3, 2024. As per established traditions the specific time for closure will be decided during the Dussehra celebrations on 12, October 2024. Priest Rawal Ashish Uniyal confirmed this date, recap the significance of the inter closure of the temple.

• Kedarnath temple: Nestled in the splendid Garhwal Himalayas, Kedarnath attracts countless devotees seeking solace and blessings of Lord Shiva. Kedarnath the most prominent temple in the Char Dham circuit and in India will close its door on November 3 2024 at 8:30 AM.

• Badrinath temple: Badrinath temple, the final destination of the Char Dham will close at 9:07 pm on November 17, 2024.  This date and time was determined based on astronomical calculations during the Vijayadashami festival which is the time when many devotees visit to offer their prayers and seek blessings.

 Apart from the main Char Dham temples, several other important temples will also close for the winter season. Rudranath is scheduled to close on October 17, 2024, Tungnath on November 4, 2024, and Madhyamaheshwar on November 20, 2024. As the closing dates are approaching pilgrims are encouraged to plan their trips accordingly with the announcement of these dates; devotees can ensure that they attend this holy pilgrimage before the temples close for the winter months.