Rishikesh, July 30: The Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand has resumed operations on Thursday after a two-day suspension. This announcement was made by Special Officer Prajapati Nautiyal from the Yatra administration.
Nautiyal informed the news agency that, following directives from the government and the Garhwal Commissioner, the Yatra was restarted at 6 AM on Thursday. He added that any further updates from the government will be communicated to the pilgrims through this medium.
Previously, the Yatra was suspended on July 28 and 29 due to landslides blocking several routes and alerts for heavy rainfall, prioritizing the safety of travelers.
This year, the impact of continuous rain and landslides has been evident on the Char Dham Yatra, leading to a decrease in the number of daily pilgrims. Despite this, over 4.5 million devotees have completed the Yatra so far.
According to government data, as of July 25, a total of 4,523,412 pilgrims had visited the four sacred sites in Uttarakhand. Since the Yatra began, the highest number of pilgrims—1,553,525—have visited Badrinath, followed by 1,414,590 at Kedarnath, 709,418 at Gangotri, and 649,957 at Yamunotri.
The Char Dham Yatra consists of visits to four sacred sites located at high altitudes in the Himalayas: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. It is traditionally believed that the Yatra should be completed in a clockwise direction, starting from Yamunotri, moving to Gangotri, then to Kedarnath, and finally concluding at Badrinath.
The temples at these high altitudes remain closed for about six months each year, reopening in the summer (April or May) and closing with the onset of winter (October or November).
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