By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
The portals of the Badrinath temple in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district will be closed for the winter on November 16 at 9.37 pm, temple authorities announced on Tuesday.
“The date for the closure of the portals of Shri Badrinath Dham, revered as Bhu-Vaikunth (the earthly abode of Lord Vishnu), for the winter season has been announced. The portals of Lord Badri Vishal’s temple will be closed for the winter on November 16, 2026, at 9.37 pm,” an official statement said.
The auspicious time for the annual closure was determined through traditional Panchang calculations on the occasion of Dussehra in the presence of chief priest Rawal Amarnath Namboori, the temple’s Dharmadhikari and Vedic scholars.
The closure dates of the four Himalayan shrines are being finalised as the annual Char Dham pilgrimage season draws to a close. The Gangotri temple will close on November 10, the day after Diwali, coinciding with the Annakoot festival. The Kedarnath and Yamunotri temples will close on November 11 on the occasion of Bhai Dooj.
The auspicious time for the closure of the Yamunotri temple was also determined on Tuesday. According to temple committee officials, its portals will be closed at 10.28 am on November 11, under Anuradha Nakshatra and in the auspicious Saumya Dhanu Lagna.
The Char Dham pilgrimage began on April 19 this year. More than 56.19 lakh pilgrims had visited the four shrines by Monday evening, according to the figures provided.
Badrinath recorded the highest footfall at 20.69 lakh pilgrims, followed by Kedarnath with 17.65 lakh, Gangotri with 9.45 lakh and Yamunotri with 8.38 lakh.
The annual closure of the temples marks the end of the pilgrimage season in the lofty Himalayan region, where severe winter conditions make the shrines inaccessible for several months as they remain mostly snow-bound.
Caption: A file file photo of Badrinath