Kedarnath temple closes for winter

The sacred portals of the Himalayan shrine of Kedarnath were closed for the winter season on Monday amid a fresh spell of snowfall.

The gates of the temple, which houses one of the 11 jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva and attracts devotees from across the world, were closed at 8:30 am after an elaborate ceremony.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath, and officials of Devasthanam Board, among others, attended the ceremony.

The two chief ministers arrived at the shrine on Sunday to offer prayers and take a look at the reconstruction projects underway at Kedarpuri.

Snowfall accompanied by a drizzle began in Kedarnath on Sunday night and continued till the morning.