The sacred portals of Badrinath will be reopened for devotees on May 18 this year.

The gates of the famous Himalayan temple located in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district are closed every year with the onset of winter during which it remains snowbound.

The temple will be reopened for devotees at 4.15 am on May 18, a Chardham Devasthanam Board official said.

The auspicious hour and date for the reopening of the Himalayan temple was decided at a ceremony held on the occasion of Basant Panchami on Tuesday at Narendra Nagar palace, the residence of the erstwhile Tehri royals, he said.

The oil-containing pitcher (Gadu Ghada) which is sent from the palace to the temple ahead of the opening of its gates will leave for its journey to Badrinath on April 29.

Badrinath had a delayed opening last year due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and a substantially reduced number of pilgrims could visit it owing to COVID-19 restrictions.