Char Dham Yatra Begins with Huge Pilgrim Turnout as Gangotri, Yamunotri Shrines Open on Akshay Tritiya

Uttarakhand officially flagged off the Char Dham Yatra on Wednesday with the sacred portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri temples opened for devotees, marking the start of the annual pilgrimage on the auspicious occasion of Akshay Tritiya. The opening ceremony witnessed a large turnout of pilgrims and local officials. 

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the Gangotri shrine, where he offered prayers and extended greetings to all devotees.

“I congratulate everyone on this auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya. With the opening of the portals of Yamunotri and Gangotri, the Char Dham Yatra has formally begun,” said Dhami.

According to the Uttarakhand tourism department, more than 5,000 pilgrims visited the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines on the very first day. By 5 PM on Tuesday, a total of 22,52,212 pilgrims had registered for the yatra — with 22,30,799 online registrations and 21,553 offline.

The Yamunotri shrine officially opened at 11:55 AM on Wednesday, as confirmed by Purshotam Uniyal, spokesperson of the Yamunotri Temple Committee.

“The portals of Yamunotri shrine were opened at 11:55 AM on Wednesday,” Uniyal said.

The sacred pilgrimage holds deep cultural and spiritual significance for the people of Uttarakhand.

“For the people of Uttarakhand, the Char Dham Yatra is like a grand festival,” said Suresh Semwal, secretary of the Gangotri Temple Committee. “All arrangements are in place to ensure a smooth, safe, and hassle-free pilgrimage for all devotees,” he added.

To manage the surge in pilgrims and ensure their safety, the district administration in Uttarkashi undertook major logistical and infrastructural preparations.

“We’ve strengthened parking infrastructure on major routes, including Kharsali, Jankichatti, Barkot, and Naugaon on the Yamunotri Highway, and Heena, Uttarkashi headquarters, and Gangotri on the Gangotri Highway. Additional surface parking has also been developed at Ramlila Maidan, Joshiyara, and Bandarkot,” said Uttarkashi district magistrate Meharban Singh Bisht.

The Char Dham Yatra, which covers the four holy sites of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath, is one of the most important annual spiritual events in India. While Yamunotri and Gangotri opened their portals today, Kedarnath and Badrinath temples are expected to open in the coming days, drawing lakhs of pilgrims from across the country.

With the yatra now underway, authorities continue to monitor the situation to maintain security, crowd control, and emergency support along the pilgrimage routes.