Dehradun: The famous Himalayan shrine of
Gangotri temporarily closed for five months today on the
occasion of `Annakut Parv`, the day after Diwali.
Thousands of pilgrims braved chilly winds for last
darshan of the `Akhand Jyoti` as the chief priest of the
Gangotri temple performed a special puja and locked its
portals at 1300 hrs, said Sanjiv Semwal, chairman of Gangotri
temple committee.
Situated at a height of above 10,000 feet in Garhwal
Himalayas of Uttarakhand, Gangotri temple is closed for
pilgrims every year in October-November and reopens in
April-May the next year as the area remains snow-bound during
winters.
After the closure of the shrine, the idol of Goddess
Ganga is left at the nearby Mukhba village where it is
worshipped during winters.
Gangotri is one of the four main Himalayan shrines,
commonly known as `Char Dham`, that also include Badrinath,
Kedarnath and Yamunotri.
PTI
