Gangotri, Yamunotri to close for the winter season for next six months

The doors of the Gangotri and Yamunotri temples will close soon during winter after special prayers and worship for the next six months. According to the news agency PTI, Gangotri temple will close on Saturday, November 2, and Yamunotri temple will be closed on Sunday, November 3.
Special prayers and worship will be held before the doors of the Gangotri temple are closed.
As per religious tradition, the doors of Gangotri temple will be closed on Saturday at 12:14 pm during the Annakoot festival. After the doors are shut, the festival idol of Ganga ji will be brought to Mukhwa village from Gangotri Dham in a doli (palanquin). The idol will remain seated in the Ganga temple during winter season.
After the doors are closed, the festival idol of Ganga ji will be brought to Mukhwa village from Gangotri Dham in a doli (palanquin). There, it will remain seated in the Ganga temple during winter. Devotees can have darshan and worship in the Ganga temple of Mukhwa during winter.
Yamunotri temple doors will be closed on Sunday, November 3 at 12:05 pm. The temple will be shut for devotees after performing rituals on the occasion of Bhai Dooj. Just like Gangotri Dham, Yamunotri Dham temple will be closed after the main idol of the pilgrimage is seated in another temple located in Kharsali village. During the winter season, devotees will be able to visit and worship Yamuna ji at a temple in Kharsali village.
The Gangotri Temple Committee and Yamunotri Temple Committee have completed all preparations for closing the doors. In addition to special decorations in the Gangotri and Yamunotri temples, temples located in Mukhwa and Kharsali have also been decorated.
Nearly 15,21,752 pilgrims will join the yatra period when Ganga and Yamuna idols will be brought to another location on Saturday and Sunday. Out of the total pilgrims, 7,10,210 pilgrims will visit Yamunotri Dham and 811542 pilgrims will visit Gangotri Dham.