Annual pilgrimage to Chardham ends tomorrow

The annual pilgrimage to Chardham comprising Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri, ends tomorrow with the closure of the portals of the Badrinath shrine.
    
"The portals of Badrinath temple will be closed tomorrow at 1540 hrs amid chanting of vedic rituals," chairman Chardham Development Council Suratram Nautiyal said.
    
While the portals of Kedarnath and Yamunotri were closed on Oct 19 on the occasion of Bhaiya Duj, Gangotri temple was closed on Oct 17
    
Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines are situated at a height of 3200 m and 4421 m respectively in Uttarkashi district, Badrinath is located in Chamoli district at a height of 3133 m and Kedarnath in Rudraprayag district at a height of 3581 m.
    
The Chardham yatra is considered as the backbone of the thriving religious tourism in the Uttarakhand state that attracts lakhs of pilgrims every year from home and abroad.
    
The portals of Chardham remain closed from November to April as the area remains snow bound during the winters.
    
All the four shrines would now reopen for pilgrims after a gap of six months in April-May next year.