E-Paper
Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand sees over 47 lakh pilgrims in 114 days
In just 114 days, over 47 lakh pilgrims have flocked to Uttarakhand’s Char Dham shrines, marking a significant increase compared to last year.
More than 47 lakh pilgrims have visited the four Char Dham shrines in Uttarakhand in the first 114 days of this year's pilgrimage season, according to the state government.
As of August 10, a total of 47,02,703 pilgrims had visited Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri, the government said. The figure is 4,68,556 higher than the 42,34,147 pilgrims recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.
The pilgrimage season began on April 19 with the opening of the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines. The government said the yatra is being conducted with heightened monitoring because of monsoon-related challenges, with pilgrim safety being given priority.
Of the total pilgrims this year, 16,12,112 have visited Badrinath, 14,50,116 Kedarnath, 7,37,629 Gangotri and 6,62,347 Yamunotri. Another 2,40,499 pilgrims have visited Hemkund Sahib, according to the government.
On August 10, 15,376 pilgrims visited the four shrines despite adverse weather and administrative alerts. Badrinath recorded 9,559 visitors, followed by Kedarnath with 4,170, Gangotri with 1,204 and Yamunotri with 443.
Badrinath has recorded a particularly high footfall this year. The government said 16,12,112 pilgrims had visited the shrine in 110 days by August 10, which was 3,50,192 more than the corresponding period last year.
The state government said arrangements have been made for accommodation, food and other essential requirements at the shrines and stops along the pilgrimage route. Security personnel have also been deployed at landslide-prone locations to assist pilgrims.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said pilgrim safety remained the government's top priority. He said the disaster management department had been kept on alert round the clock in view of the monsoon, while district magistrates had been asked to remain vigilant and ensure prompt relief and rescue operations during emergencies.
The government has also advised pilgrims to undertake the journey after taking weather conditions into account.
