Dehradun, Aug 12 (IANS) The Chardham Yatra in Uttarakhand continues to witness a strong influx of devotees, with the total number of pilgrims crossing 47 lakh in the first 114 days of the pilgrimage season. Despite challenges posed by the ongoing monsoon, the yatra is on course to set a new record this year.
According to official data, a total of 47,02,703 pilgrims have visited the Chardham shrines so far, marking an increase of 468,556 devotees compared to the corresponding period last year.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the safety of pilgrims remains the state government’s highest priority. He has directed all concerned departments to remain vigilant and ensure smooth conduct of the pilgrimage amid adverse weather conditions.
The Chief Minister has instructed the Disaster Management Department to remain on high alert round-the-clock and launch immediate relief and rescue operations in the event of any emergency. He is also personally monitoring disaster management activities from the State Disaster Control Room.
The state government is regulating the movement of pilgrims and temporarily suspending yatra operations whenever weather conditions require additional caution. Despite inclement weather on Monday, 15,376 pilgrims visited the Chardham shrines.
Among the four shrines, Badrinath has recorded the highest number of visitors, with 16,12,112 pilgrims paying their obeisance so far. Kedarnath has received 14,50,116 pilgrims, while Gangotri and Yamunotri have recorded 7,37,629 and 6,62,347 visitors, respectively. In addition, 2,40,499 devotees have visited Hemkund Sahib during the current pilgrimage season.
The Chardham Yatra commenced on April 19 with the opening of the portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri temples. The Badrinath shrine opened on April 23 and completed 110 days of pilgrimage on August 10. Officials said that Badrinath alone has witnessed 3,50,192 more pilgrims compared to the same period last year.
The Chardham Yatra is one of the most significant Hindu pilgrimages in India and attracts millions of devotees annually to the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand. The pilgrimage covers four revered shrines-Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath collectively known as the Chota Char Dham.
The concept of the Char Dham pilgrimage was popularised in the 8th century by renowned Hindu philosopher and reformer Adi Shankaracharya, who sought to strengthen the country’s spiritual and cultural unity through sacred pilgrimage centres.
–IANS
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