Uttarakhand: Preparations in full swing for Char Dham Yatra 2025, says Minister Satpal Maharaj

"We are prepared for the Char Dham Yatra. The portals of the Yamunotri Temple and the Gangotri Temple will open on April 30. Kedarnath Temple and Badrinath Temple will open to the public on May 2nd and May 4th, respectively. Hemkund Sahib gurdwara will open for the public on 25th May. We have allocated over Rs 12 crores for the districts under which the Char Dham temples fall. So far, we have registered 5,51,745 devotees for the Kedarnath temple and 4,84,480 devotees for the Badrinath temple. Till now, total registration of devotees for Char Dham Yatra stands at 16,19,190," the minister said.

Meanwhile, the Char Dham Yatra 2025 is scheduled to commence on April 30, coinciding with Akshaya Tritiya, according to the Uttarakhand government.

"So far, a total of 17,76,058 people have registered for the journey. The Char Dham Yatra of Uttarakhand is starting on the 30th of this month with the auspicious festival of Akshaya Tritiya," as per the Uttarakhand government.

On 30 March, CM Dhami reviewed preparations for the upcoming Yatra and also assured that the State government is working swiftly to ensure a smooth and successful pilgrimage.

The Char Dham Yatra, also known as the Chota Char Dham Yatra, is a pilgrimage to four holy sites: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath, situated high in the Himalayas. In Hindi, 'char' means four and 'dham' refers to religious destinations.

It is believed that one should complete the Char Dham Yatra in a clockwise direction. Hence, the pilgrimage begins at Yamunotri, proceeds to Gangotri, then to Kedarnath, and finally concludes at Badrinath. The journey can be completed by road or by air, with helicopter services also available. Some devotees undertake a Do Dham Yatra, a pilgrimage to two shrines - Kedarnath and Badrinath.