The portals of Badrinath were closed for the winter season on Saturday evening, ringing down the curtains on this year’s Chardham Yatra.
Rawal Ishwari Prasad Namboodiri conducted the elaborate rituals that lasted throughout the day before closure of the temple gates for visitors exactly at 6.45 pm, a Devasthanam Board official said.
More than 4,000 pilgrims were present at the temple on Saturday to witness the closure ceremony, he said.
A total of 1,97,056 pilgrims visited Badrinath temple this year.
The closure of Badrinath marks the end of the Chardham Yatra season as it is the last of the four Himalayan temples to be closed in Uttarakhand.
Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri have already been closed. Uttarakhand Governor Lt gen (retd.) Gurmit Singh and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed happiness at the yatra being conducted successfully despite Covid restrictions.
Chardham Yatra was opened for pilgrims as late as in September this year due to the second wave of Covid.
Since September 18 when the yatra began for devotees, 5,06,240 pilgrims visited Chardham this season.