The Chardham pilgrimage to Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath, and Kedarnath is likely to break its past pilgrim flow records as more than 13 lakh people have registered themselves within eight days of the start of the season on April 15, 2024.
The State Tourism Department called it a sign of record breaking flow of pilgrims to the four shrines as the pilgrimage season is scheduled to start on May 10.
Officials of the Tourism Department informed that registration records for 2023 ‘Chardham pilgrimage was broken within seven days after bookings started on April 15. More than 12.48 lakh pilgrims have registered themselves through different online means as permitted by the state tourism department.
The pilgrims’ registration figures crossed 13-lakh mark on Monday. It is three times more than that of 2023 which was four lakh in the first week.
Speaking about the high registration figures, state Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj said this season too would witness massive pilgrim footfalls and is likely break all past records of religious tourism in Uttarakhand. “The registration figures are an indication of the heavy pilgrim flow this season. The Chardham registration started on April 15 for the convenience of the pilgrims across the world. We will welcome and accommodate all those coming for the chardham pilgrimage.”
He said preparations are being enhanced and upgraded in all respects, be it infrastructure, medical facilities, accommodation or unhindered and safe visit to the shrines.
Tourism Department officials said going by the pace of registration it may surpass 75-lakh mark in 2023 pilgrimage season. The department’s own figures say that till Sunday 4.22 lakh pilgrims registered for Kedarnath, 3.57 lakh for Badrinath, 2.32 lakh for Gangotri and around 2.19 lakh registered for Yamunotri. Apart from this, 17,684 pilgrims booked their visit to the Sikh Pilgrimage Gurdwara Hemkund Sahib.
Uttarakhand witnessed around 50 lakh chardham pilgrims’ arrival at the four shrines in 2023, between April and November, when the temples were closed for the winter and deities shifted to their alternate seats of worship.
The Chardham Pilgrimage 2024 will take off on May 10 with the opening of Gangotri, Yamunotri and Kedarnath portals on the same day. Badrinath shrine portals will open on May 12.