Char Dham Yatra Resumes After Two-Day Halt Amid Heavy Rain

Char Dham Yatra resumes after two-day halt as Uttarakhand battles heavy rain

Dehradun, July 30

Prajapati Nautiyal, Special Officer on Duty (SOD) for the pilgrimage administration, told IANS, "In accordance with directives from the administration and the Garhwal Commissioner, the pilgrimage resumed smoothly at 6:00 a.m. on Thursday."

He further said that any fresh instructions or updates received from the administration or the state government would be communicated to pilgrims through the media so that they could make informed decisions regarding their journey.

Despite the resumption of the pilgrimage, minor road blockages continue to be reported at several locations across the state due to landslides, falling rocks, and debris triggered by the persistent rainfall.

The Pokhari-Rudraprayag motor road has been blocked approximately one kilometre ahead of Guniyala Khal after large rocks and substantial debris fell from a hillside, disrupting movement along the route.

Heavy rainfall has also continued to affect normal life in Chamoli district, where the Badrinath National Highway remains blocked near Bhanerpani in the Pipalkoti area, creating difficulties for pilgrims and other travellers using the route.

Earlier, authorities had suspended the Char Dham Yatra on July 28 and 29 in view of concerns over pilgrim safety. The decision was taken after landslides blocked roads at several locations and the weather department issued an alert for heavy rainfall across parts of Uttarakhand.

The effects of continuous rainfall, landslides, and repeated disruptions have been increasingly visible on this year's Char Dham pilgrimage, with a decline being witnessed in the number of devotees undertaking the journey each day. Despite the weather-related challenges, however, more than 4.5 million, or 45 lakh, pilgrims have completed the Char Dham Yatra so far this season.

According to government figures, a total of 4,523,412 pilgrims had visited the four major shrines in Uttarakhand by July 25. Badrinath recorded the highest footfall, with 15,53,525 pilgrims visiting the shrine since the beginning of the pilgrimage. It was followed by Kedarnath, which received 14,14,590 pilgrims, while 7,09,418 devotees visited Gangotri and 6,49,957 pilgrims travelled to Yamunotri.

The Char Dham Yatra is one of the most significant pilgrimages in Uttarakhand and covers four revered temples located in the high Himalayan region -- Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. According to religious tradition, devotees are expected to undertake the pilgrimage in a clockwise direction.

The traditional route therefore begins with Yamunotri, followed by Gangotri, then Kedarnath, and finally concludes at Badrinath. The four shrines hold immense religious significance and attract millions of devotees from across India and abroad every year.

The high-altitude temples remain inaccessible for roughly six months every year because of extreme winter conditions in the Himalayan region. They generally open to devotees during the summer months, usually in April or May, and close again with the arrival of winter around October or November.

With the pilgrimage now resumed, authorities continue to monitor weather conditions, road connectivity, and the movement of pilgrims across the routes leading to the four shrines.

Pilgrims have also been advised to remain alert and follow instructions issued by the administration as rainfall and landslide risks continue in several parts of the state.

— IANS