DEHRADUN: Faith in the Himalayan shrines of Gangotri and Yamunotri continues to grow, with the two temples recording a new pilgrimage-season high this year. A total of 1,890,752 devotees visited the shrines to offer prayers to the goddesses Ganga and Yamuna. That is 487,866 more pilgrims than last year, an increase of over 34.8 per cent.
The surge has surpassed previous annual figures and further strengthened Uttarkashi district’s profile as a major religious tourism destination. Gangotri received 1,007,177 pilgrims, while 884,841 visited Yamunotri, according to figures available on Wednesday.
The record comes as the Char Dham season draws to a close and is being seen as a significant milestone for religious tourism in the region. “Crossing the 1.89-million mark this year is a major achievement for the pilgrimage,” Hemant Dwivedi, chairman of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee, told TNIE.
“The arrival of around 34.8 per cent more devotees than last year reflects the growing popularity of both shrines.” The latest figures are part of a strong overall pilgrimage season. By Wednesday evening, the number of devotees who had visited the Char Dham shrines stood at 6,486,076.
With Hemkund Sahib also drawing pilgrims, the combined season tally for the destinations is expected to approach 65 lakh, according to the report. The annual figures show some fluctuations, but the broader trend has been upward.
Gangotri and Yamunotri together received 1,402,886 pilgrims in 2025, 1,530,028 in 2024 and 1,640,418 in 2023. In 2022, the combined count was 1,110,204. The pilgrimage season has now ended at both shrines, whose portals have closed for the winter.
Gangotri’s doors were shut for six months on Tuesday, following Annakut and Govardhan Puja. The closure was conducted with Vedic chants and traditional rituals. Yamunotri’s doors were closed on Wednesday, the festival of Bhai Dooj.
The Kedarnath shrine also closed for pilgrims on Wednesday, while Badrinath is scheduled to close on November 16. Though the main temples will remain inaccessible through the winter, worship will continue at the deities’ winter homes.
Prayers to Goddess Ganga will be held in Mukhba village, while Goddess Yamuna will be worshipped in Kharsali. Both villages will remain open to devotees during the colder months, allowing pilgrims to continue their visits even after the high-altitude shrines close.
The seasonal shift moves worship from the temple sites to the lower-altitude villages, where local communities maintain the rituals and welcome visitors. "For devotees unable to reach the shrines during the summer and autumn months, the winter abodes offer an opportunity to pay their respects, keeping the region’s religious traditions alive until the temples reopen next year," said Chairman Dwivedi.
