Rudraprayag (Uttarakhand): The doors of the second Kedarnath temple, Madmaheshwar, in Rudraprayag district, closed for the winter season at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, during the auspicious time of Margashirsha Krishna Chaturdashi (Swati Nakshatra). The temple had been decorated with flowers since Monday. More than three hundred and fifty devotees, along with BKTC employees, officials, forest department, and administration representatives were present.
As part of the closing ceremony, the temple opened at Brahmamuhurta. After the devotees offered darshan and performed puja (worship), the closing ceremony began at 7 a.m. After this, the priest, Shivling, placed the self-manifested Shivalinga of Madmaheshwar in the form of a samadhi (samadhi) in the presence of BKTC Chief Executive Officer/Executive Magistrate Vijay Prasad Thapliyal, BKTC member Prahlad Pushpavan, and the five Gondari rights holders. At 8 o’clock, the temple doors closed for the winter season with chants of “Shri Madmaheshwar.” Following the closure, the Madmaheshwar idol palanquin circumambulated the temple and departed for its first stop, Gondar. In his message, Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) President Hemant Dwivedi extended his best wishes to devotees on the closing of the doors of the second Kedarnath Madmaheshwar temple. He urged them to continue to gain the blessings of visiting winter pilgrimage sites until the temple doors close. BKTC Vice President Rishi Prasad Sati and Vice President Vijay Kapravan also congratulated the temple’s closure. Chief Executive Officer Vijay Prasad Thapliyal reported from the second Kedarnath Madmaheshwar that despite difficult geographical conditions, over 22,000 devotees visited the second Kedarnath Madmaheshwar this year. He added that after the closure, the Madmaheshwar idol palanquin departed for its first stop, Gondar, for its overnight stay. BKTC media in-charge Dr. Harish Gaur said that on Wednesday, November 19, Lord Madmaheshwar’s movable idol festival palanquin will visit Rakeshwari temple Ransi and on Thursday, November 20, it will visit Giriya. On Friday, November 21, the movable idol palanquin will reach its winter seat Omkareshwar temple Ukhimath. He said that preparations have begun at Omkareshwar temple Ukhimath to welcome the movable idol palanquin. The historic Madmaheshwar fair will begin: On the arrival of Lord Madmaheshwar’s palanquin at its winter seat Omkareshwar temple, a three-day Madmaheshwar fair will be organized in Ukhimath. Preparations for which have already begun. The Madmaheshwar fair will begin on November 20 and will continue till November 22. People come here from far and wide.
