Overview
- The portals of Badrinath closed at 2:56 pm on November 25 after Vedic rites led by chief priest Rawal Amarnath Namboodri.
- Winter worship shifts to lower-altitude sites, with Badrinath at Pandukeshwar and the Narsingh Temple in Joshimath, Kedarnath at Omkareshwar in Ukhimath, Gangotri at Mukhwa, and Yamunotri at Kharsali.
- The Uttarakhand government reported 51,06,346 Char Dham pilgrims in 2025, with 17,68,795 at Kedarnath and more than 16.6 lakh at Badrinath.
- Closing ceremonies featured traditional rituals, 10–12 quintals of marigold decorations, the Army’s Garhwal Scouts band, the installation of Goddess Lakshmi in the sanctum, and a ghrit kambal offered to Lord Badrinath by the Mana Mahila Mangal Dal.
- Authorities noted a challenging season that included floods, debris slides, and two helicopter crashes, with 182 deaths reported, and they have begun preparations for the winter pilgrimage.