Source: PTI
GOPESHWAR, INDIA, November 6, 2002: The Hindu shrine of Kedarnath, located in Garhwal, Himalayas, closed Wednesday for the winter. The deputy Rawal (priest) of the shrine closed the Kapat (doors) amidst the chanting of Vedic hymns, as snow and stormy winds started blowing through the region. Hundreds of devotees of Lord Siva, including saints, temple employees and others, offered prayers Wednesday morning at the shrine before its closure. The shrine will be reopened in April-May next year. Kedarnath, one of the most renowned Hindu pilgrimage sites, is located at an altitude of 3,584 feet in Rudraprayag district of the North Indian state of Uttaranchal. The doors of Yamunotri and Gangotri temples were also closed Tuesday, while the door of Badrinath shrine will be closed on November 17 for the entire winter season.