Dehradun, November 17: The sacred portals of Badrinath in Garhwal Himalayas closed for devotees on Sunday for the winter season. After traditional prayers, the gates of the famed Himalayan shrine were closed at 5.13 pm, Badrinath-Kedarnath Mandir Samiti sources said.

The gates of 'chardham', a set of four pilgrimage sites in Garhwal Himalayas, including Badrinath are closed every year in October-November for devotees due to extreme cold conditions. Uttarakhand: Badrinath Temple to Be Closed for Winter Today.

They are thrown open to devotees in April-May with the onset of summer. With the portals of the other three Himalayan temples -- Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri already closed, the closure of Badrinath marks the end of the annual 'chardham' yatra or pilgrimage season.