DEHRADUN, Nov 26 : Despite repeated disruptions due to natural disasters, more than 51 lakh pilgrims visited the Chardham shrines located in the Upper Garhwal Himalayan region this year, with Kedarnath receiving the highest footfall, tourism department data said.
The doors of the Badrinath shrine closed for the winter season on Tuesday, marking the end of this year’s Chardham Yatra. Despite the weather, 7,253 pilgrims were present in Badrinath on the occasion of the door closing.
More than 16.60 lakh pilgrims visited Badrinath this year.
The doors of the three other shrines, Gangotri, Yamunotri, and Kedarnath, were closed last month.
This year, the pilgrimage was repeatedly disrupted due to disasters like excessive rainfall, cloudbursts, floods, and landslides, despite all, a total of 51,06,346 pilgrims visited the shrines. This includes 2.74 lakh pilgrims who visited the Hemkund Sahib.
According to the tourism department data, this number is 3,02,131 more than last year, when 48,04,215 pilgrims visited the Chardham Yatra.
This year, the Yatra began with the opening of the doors of the Yamunotri and Gangotri shrines in Uttarkashi district on April 30. This was followed by the opening of the doors of the Kedarnath shrine in Rudraprayag district on May 2 and the Badrinath shrine in Chamoli district on May 4.
This year, the highest number of 17.68 lakh devotees visited Kedarnath, while 7.58 lakh devotees visited Gangotri and 6.44 lakh devotees visited Yamunotri.
Officials said the increase in the number of pilgrims visiting the Chardham shrine is due to the state government’s efforts to make the Chardham Yatra accessible, convenient, and safe by giving top priority to the safety of pilgrims during the monsoon season.
Following the closure of the Chardhams, the deities enshrined in the Dhams will now be worshipped at their winter residences for the next six months.
The worship of Badrinath will now take place at the Narsingh Temple in Jyotirmath, while the worship of Baba Kedarnath will take place at the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath. The worship of Ganga, the presiding deity of the Gangotri Temple, will take place at Mukhba, and the worship of Yamunotri will take place at Kharsali.
Following the closure, preparations for the winter pilgrimage have intensified in the state. Last year, at the chief minister’s request, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Mukhba in Uttarkashi to worship Ganga to promote the winter pilgrimage.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed officials to further strengthen the winter pilgrimage arrangements, urging them to strengthen accommodation, transportation, and security arrangements at the winter residences of the Chardhams and all nearby major tourist destinations.
He has also directed officials to widely publicise the winter pilgrimage so that pilgrimage activities continue throughout the year.
Dhami said that special attention has been paid to providing all necessary amenities, including better roads, transportation, and communication facilities along the Chardham Yatra route and halts, and facilities have been enhanced.
He said, “Amenities have increased since the reconstruction work in Kedarnath, under the prime minister’s dream project. The trekking route has been improved. Badrinath Dham is also being developed according to the master plan. Now, special attention is being paid to pilgrim amenities and safety in preparations for the winter pilgrimage.” (PTI)
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