DEHRADUN: The Char Dham Yatra, which commenced on April 19, has witnessed a spectacular start this year, with an overwhelming surge of devotees flocking to Uttarakhand’s sacred Himalayan shrines.
While all four temples have seen significant turnout, the holy shrine of Kedarnath has emerged as the primary draw, attracting over 1.3 lakh pilgrims in just the opening days.
According to official data from the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), the total number of pilgrims who have offered prayers across the four shrines—Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath—crossed the 2.5 lakh mark by Sunday morning.
Additionally, over 2.3 million devotees have already registered for the pilgrimage. Hemant Dwivedi, President of the BKTC, confirmed the rising figures, stating, "By 9.00 am on Sunday, the number of pilgrims who have visited the four shrines surpassed 250,000."
A breakdown of the footfall showed 1,30,635 pilgrims visited Kedarnath, 41,085 at Badrinath, 39,645 at Yamunotri, and 39,205 at Gangotri.
Amid the high volume of visitors, temple officials have moved to address concerns circulating on social media regarding mismanagement. Rajkumar Tiwari, President of the Kedarnath Temple Committee, emphasised that smooth operations are currently underway.
"It has been three days since the portals of Kedarnath and Bhairavnath opened. Every devotee is receiving the opportunity for smooth darshan," he told TNIE. He strongly condemned attempts by "disruptive elements" to malign the reputation of the shrine through misleading online campaigns.
Senior member of the Kedarnath Sabha, Umesh Chandra Posti, echoed these sentiments. "Under the guidance of the BKTC and district administration, we have successfully managed over 1.30 lakh visitors so far," Posti noted.
He urged pilgrims from across the globe to ignore baseless rumors, asserting that the administration is working round-the-clock. "A token system has been introduced to ensure a faster and more organized darshan experience," he added.
Local stakeholders are playing a critical role in managing the logistical challenges posed by the region's tough geographical terrain. Sanjay Tiwari, a member of the Kedarnath Sabha, welcomed the massive influx and clarified that all necessary amenities are operational.
"The government, administration, temple committees, and local residents have aligned to ensure proper arrangements for accommodation, food, and security," Sanjay Tiwari said. "We have prioritised the comfort of the pilgrims, and the arrangements are being executed with the highest level of diligence, considering the unique challenges of our mountainous geography."