The portals of the revered Sikh shrine of Hemkund Sahib were closed for the winter season on Saturday following the final Ardas (prayer) of the year. A record 384,573 pilgrims visited the high-altitude Gurudwara during the pilgrimage season, while approximately 4,000 devotees gathered to witness the ceremonial closure.
The Gurudwara, situated in the Himalayas, was covered in a thick blanket of snow following heavy snowfall on Friday, a day before the scheduled closure. Despite the snowy conditions, devotees made their way along snow-covered paths to pay their obeisance and participate in the final religious ceremonies of the season.
The closure ceremony began at 10 am with the recitation of Sukhmani Sahib, followed by Shabad Kirtan. The final Ardas was performed at 12:30 pm, while the Hukamnama (divine command) was read at 1 pm.
The ceremony was led by the Panj Pyaras (Five Beloved Ones). Accompanied by the melodious tunes of the Army band, the Guru Granth Sahib was ceremoniously carried from the Darbar Sahib to Sachkhand, following which the shrine’s portals were closed for the winter months.
The fresh snowfall added to the spiritual and scenic atmosphere, offering devotees a memorable glimpse of the shrine draped in white as the annual pilgrimage season came to an end.
Meanwhile, the process of closing adjacent temple ha also begun. The portals of the Lakshman Temple are scheduled to close on Sunday. Temple priest Manish Pandey confirmed that all necessary arrangements for the closure ceremony have been completed.
