Portals of Hemkund Sahib shrine opened for devotees

Special teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed at key halts along the Hemkund Sahib Yatra route

Published on: May 25, 2025, 16:53:30 IST

By Neeraj Santoshi

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The portals of Hemkund Sahib shrine, a revered centre of faith and pilgrimage for the Sikh community in Chamoli district, were on Sunday, officially marking the start of the annual Hemkund Sahib Yatra, said the officials.

Last year, over 2.62 lakh pilgrims visited Hemkund Sahib. (HT photo)

“The devotees (jatha) proceeded towards Hemkund Sahib with fervent chants of Jo Boley Sonihal, Sat Sri Akaal, and at an auspicious moment, the portals of Shri Hemkund Sahib were opened for the devotees and along with this, the portals of Lokpal Temple (Laxman Temple), a symbol of Hindu faith, were also opened for devotees with proper rituals”, said NS Bindra, president of Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara Trust.

Chamoli district police have implemented robust arrangements to ensure the safety and smooth journey of pilgrims. Special teams from the SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) have been deployed at key halts along the Hemkund Sahib Yatra route.

Also Read: Uttarakhand: Hemkund Sahib portals closed for winter months

Bindra praised the district administration and police for their support in managing the pilgrimage arrangements.

Last year, over 2.62 lakh pilgrims visited Hemkund Sahib. In 2023, over 2.4 lakh pilgrims visited the shrine.

During the pilgrimage, the devotees take a trek from Pulna, 3km from Govind Ghat to Hemkund Sahib. After a 6km steep climb, they stay overnight at Ghangria from where they again proceed towards Hemkund Sahib on foot.

Hemkund becomes inaccessible from October to April due to snow.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj Santoshi
Neeraj Santoshi is the Chief of Bureau for Hindustan Times in Uttarakhand, where he leads the state reporting team while covering government, politics, environment, wildlife, Uttarakhand High Court, and issues shaping the Himalayan region. With more than two decades in journalism across conflict zones, he has covered politically sensitive regions and environmentally fragile landscapes, and focused on stories that combine public interest with in-depth storytelling. An alumnus of Pune University with a Master’s in Communication Studies, he has reported extensively from Jammu & Kashmir (2003-2010), Madhya Pradesh (2010 to 2018 ) and Uttarakhand (Since 2018), covering subjects ranging from insurgency, elections and governance to wildlife conservation, mining, climate change, agriculture, human rights and social justice. He has covered politics and legislative assemblies of both Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh over more than a decade. Before taking over as Chief of Bureau in Uttarakhand, he served as Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in Madhya Pradesh and earlier reported for both Hindustan Times and The Indian Express in Jammu & Kashmir, where he covered state politics, environment and insurgency-related developments. Over the years, his stories have focused on environmental degradation, wildlife, illegal mining, governance and the changing social fabric of Himalayan states and Central India. He is particularly interested in long-form explanatory journalism, and stories that explore the intersection of ecology, conservation, governance and society. Outside the newsroom, Neeraj enjoys reading widely on neuroscience, consciousness studies, Artificial Intelligence and quantum physics, with a special interest in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivist traditions. He is also passionate about wildlife, mountaineering and the Himalayas, interests that continue to inform his reporting and deepen his understanding of the region he covers.Read More

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