Hemkunt Sahib Shrine closed for season

With devastation in pilgrimage towns of Kedarnath and Badrinath, another holy shrine to bear the brunt of nature’s fury is Hemkunt Sahib. Over 3,000 Sikh pilgrims were stuck in Hemkunt Sahib when calamity hit the state of Uttarakhand. However, all pilgrims who were stuck for the past many days in Chamoli where the shrine is located have been successfully evacuated.

But the shrine will remain closed due to the damage caused by landslides and floods on way to the Gurudwara. It may not be opened for pilgrims even in the next season. According to reports Hemkunt Shrine has not been damaged but Gurudwara Gobind Ghat on way to Hemkunt Sahib has suffered severe damage.

It is for the first time in 50 years that the shrine has been shut in between the season since 1960s when the first pilgrimage started for the shrine. Hemkunt Sahib is thrown open for pilgrimage for four months every year beginning June1-October 5.