Dehradun, Since the break of day, the once empty corridors of the Chardham Registration Office in Rishikesh is now teeming with life. Long, unending queues of pilgrims of all age groups, from all over the country as well as foreign shores have started to arrive in droves to partake in what is defined as ‘once in a lifetime pilgrimage.
The numbers have already reached promising figures with over a thousand foreign tourists registering within days of the Yatra beginning. Yamnotri and Gangotri being the first to open for pilgrimage yesterday i.e. 7th of May, followed by Kedarnath Shrine opening on 9th May and Badrinath throwing open its portal to devotees and pilgrims on 10th of May. The Chief Minister of the State Trivendra Singh Rawat, ensured everyone’s convenience and safety, adding “with the opening of the Gangotri and Yamunotri temples on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, the Chardham Yatra begins, Uttarakhand is ready to welcome the Yatris.”
After being closed for nearly six winter months, the shrines of Uttarakhand also known as the famous ‘Chardham’ or ‘four shrines’ re-open their portal this May, along with temples off-the-beaten path, such as Tungnath, Madmaheswar, Rudranath opening within two weeks from today. Along with the famous-four, the Sikh pilgrimage site of Hemkund Sahib will be the last to open its portal on the 25th of May.
Traditionally, the world-famous Chardham pilgrimage comes to a halt around November when the shrines become inaccessible due to snowfall in the long cold, winter months. Following Spring, around Basant Panchami, the dates for the re-opening of the shrines are announced as per ancient rites and rituals.
The State administration is making sure that facilities and road safety norms are in place for tourists, visitors and pilgrims making their way from home and abroad arriving in droves in the hill-state of Uttarakhand or ‘Devbhoomi’ as it is rightly called.
Char Dham Yatra Final Photometric Registration Report on 8/5/19:
1 .Bus Stand Rishikesh = 2557
2. Rahi Motel Haridwar= 175
3. Rly. Station Haridwar= 349
4.Dobata = 702
5. Hina = 196
6.Phata= 241
7.Sonprayag= 674
Total Pilgrims registered until 8th may morning = 4894
Grand total from 25th april to 8th may 2019 = 10,764
Total Foreigners = 1063
