BADRINATH DHAM CLOSES ON 19TH NOVEMBER,2017 ON ADVENT OF WINTERS

The doors of the historic Badrinath Dham, one of the prominent historic 1200 year old religious shrine visited by lakhs of devotees from around the world, are closing tomorrow on 19th, November, 2017 on the advent of chilling  winter to be again opened on April, during the summer. You can see in the picture how the snow has already engulfed the Badrinath temple and its surrounding vicinity including the Bamni Village n Maana Gaon as well. Mana village is 1 & a 1/2 kilometres away at the Indo China border from here.

After the most tragic catastrophic disaster of 2013 in the entire Kedar valley that killed more than 8 thousand people, local as well the pilgrims who visited Kedarnath and other religious shrines, the in take of pilgrims was lesser thereafter as compared to the pre 2013 era but as the situation improved gradually and confidence level enhanced the numbers of the visitors to Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamnotri increased considerably.

The latest statistics indicate despite so much of confusion and apprehension in the aftermath of the dreaded ecological disaster as situation and renovation work  of the Kedarnath temple site enhanced, a whopping 24 lakh pilgrims visited the aforesaid four historical ancient shrines after June 2013 till date. This encoraging figure of the tourists and pilgrims from all over India and abroad has vindicated the fact that conditions of roads, all the 4 shrines and tourist destinations including facilities  in the aftermath of the ecological Kedanath disaster have improvised a lot to the satisfaction of the pilgrims.

It may be recalled that the Badrinath temple opens every year in the month of April-May & closes for winters in the third week of November. Thus the temple is shut down for 6 months every year during which prayers to the Badri Vishal continue at the Narsimha temple in Joshimath.  The dates of Badrinath Temple opening will be announced by the priests during the Basant Panchmi. Last year the Badrinath temple was opned on May 6th, 2017 and would close on 19th September 2017 this time.

While the doors of Badrinath Temples are closed the inhabitants of the last village of Indo China border one and a half kilometre away from Badrinath also shift to Neeti village from Maana gaon to returen back during April after six months. This practice is going on from ancient time, since time immemorial.

The whole temple including the Maana gaon and its AAKHIRI CHAI KI DUKAAN, ( THE LAST TEA STALL OF INDIA) also gets completely snow clad. They are the only ITBP and the Indian Army Jawans who petrol the area amid extremely challenging climatic conditions and stay here in minus 25 to 30 or more degree during the entire winters guarding our borders.

SUNIL NEGI