Uttarkashi (U'khand), Nov 14 (PTI) The sacred portals of the Gangotri Dham closed for the winter on the auspicious occasion of the Annakoot festival on Tuesday amid chanting of vedic hymns.

The gates of the Himalayan temple were closed at 11:45 am, Gangotri Temple Committee secretary Suresh Semwal said.

Prayers were also offered to goddess Ganga for the safe evacuation of 40 workers trapped in the Silkyara tunnel on the Char Dham route for more than 60 hours now, he said.

Thousands of devotees attended the closing ceremony.

Soon after the closure of the temple gates, an idol of goddess Ganga left in a palanquin decorated with flowers for Mukhba, where she will be worshipped during the winter.

Gangotri Dham received a record number of pilgrims this season.

More than 9,98,000 pilgrims visited the shrine this year, a temple committee official said. PTI COR ALM DIV DIV