Gangotri Dham portals close for winter, Mata Ganga's doli departs for Mukba

The portals of the world-famous Gangotri Dham in Uttarkashi were closed for the six-month winter season on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at 12:05 pm, with Vedic chanting and full rituals. According to reports by Dainik Bhaskar and Amar Ujala, the closing process was completed during the Abhijit Muhurat on the holy occasion of Annakut festival and Govardhan Puja. Following the closure of the portals, the bhog idol of Mata Ganga was placed in the festive doli and departed for her winter residence in Mukba village.

The religious process of closing the portals began on Tuesday morning. Priests performed the abhisheka and aarti of Mata Ganga at the Ganga Ghat, while special prayers and religious rituals were conducted inside the temple. On this occasion, the temple was decorated with 5 quintals of flowers. As Mata Ganga's festive doli departed, the entire Dham became devotional with the sweet tunes of the Indian Army band and traditional musical instruments. Thousands of devotees gave a heartfelt farewell, chanting slogans in praise of Mata Ganga.

According to a report by Harnan Times, there was an unprecedented increase in the number of devotees at Gangotri Dham this year. Since the portals opened on April 19, more than 10 lakh devotees have had the darshan of Mata Ganga, breaking the record of the last four years. According to the temple committee, the number of devotees this season has been record-breaking. On Tuesday morning, only 200 devotees were present at the Dham, but by the time the portals closed, this number had increased to over one thousand.

Mata Ganga's doli will now undertake a journey of approximately 25 km to Mukba village, which is considered the mother's parental home. According to Dainik Bhaskar, after walking approximately 8 km from Gangotri Dham, the doli will reach the first halt at Bhairav Temple. From there, after traveling another 16 km, the doli will reach Markandey Temple (Chandeshwari Devi Temple), where it will rest for the night. Bhajans, kirtans, and religious rituals will be held here throughout the night. Subsequently, on Wednesday, November 11, on the holy occasion of Bhai Dooj, the doli will cover a distance of approximately 1 km from here to reach the Mukba temple. For the next six months, the worship of Mata Ganga will take place at Mukhimath in Mukba, where devotees can have darshan.

Amruta Singh, a devotee from Nagpur, Maharashtra, present on the occasion, said, "My family is fortunate to witness the closing of the portals of Gangotri Dham on Tuesday; it was a divine experience." Harshveer Singh, a resident of Mukba, stated that he was traveling with the idol and villagers welcomed the doli by showering flowers along the way.

Suresh Semwale, Secretary of the Gangotri Dham Temple Committee, stated that the festive doli, carried on foot by the temple priests, has reached Chandeshwari Temple and will reach Mukba on Wednesday. He expressed gratitude to the district administration, the devotees, and especially the state Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami for better coordination during this season. Gangotri MLA Suresh Chauhan also credited the state administration, police, and state leadership for the smooth management of the large number of tourists. He requested devotees to now visit Mukba for the darshan of Mata Ganga during the winter Char Dham season.

Prashant Arya, District Magistrate of Uttarkashi, stated that devotees from far and wide as well as locals were present during the portal closing ritual performed by the temple priests. As the number of devotees has been encouraging this year, they are ready to welcome devotees at the Mukba temple during the winter Char Dham Yatra.

On this occasion, sadhus and saints residing in Gangotri Dham during winter, as well as employees overseeing the temple, ashrams, and hotels, also gave a heartfelt farewell to Mata Ganga. Regarding the weather conditions in the Dham, the temperature was recorded at -10°C on Tuesday morning, while the mercury remained around -2 to -3°C during the day.

According to the schedule for the closing of the Char Dham portals, the portals of Yamunotri and Kedarnath Dham will close on November 11 at 10:28 am and 8:30 am respectively. Meanwhile, the portals of Badrinath Dham will be closed on November 16 at 9:37 pm. During the winter, the worship of Yamunotri will be conducted in Kharsali, Kedarnath's worship at Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath, and Badrinath's worship in Pandukeshwar and Joshimath.

Gangotri Dham is a holy Hindu temple located in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand state in the Himalayas, worshipped as the origin of the Ganga river and is one of the main sites of the Char Dham Yatra.