This time 12.35 lakh devotees have traveled to Chardham in a month, this time a new record could have been made
Summary
Last year, a staggering number of 13.32 lakh devotees embarked on the spiritual journey of the Chardhams, a group of four holy shrines in India. However, there has been a slightly lower turnout this year, with around 12.35 lakh pilgrims undertaking the same spiritual journey within a month. Despite a slight drop in numbers, the Chardhams continue to receive countless devotees.
Expansion
If the weather had been favorable right from the start of the Chardham Yatra this time, a new record for the number of pilgrims visiting in a month could have been achieved. Although the current figures show a decrease of 97,000 passengers compared to last year’s count for the same duration, the situation is improving. Now that the weather has cleared up, more than 50,000 devotees are offering their prayers at the Chardhams every day. The government remains optimistic, anticipating that the total number of pilgrims in the Chardham Yatra will surpass 5 million this time.
The Chardham Yatra, a revered pilgrimage in India, will reach its one-month mark on May 22. The journey commenced with the opening of the Gangotri and Yamunotri temples on May 22, marking the beginning of the pilgrimage. However, the Chardham Yatra gained momentum when the doors of Kedarnath Dham opened on April 25 and Badrinath Dham on April 27. It is worth noting that the Chardham Yatra commenced on May 3, 2022, last year.
According to the tourism department’s records, last year witnessed 1.332 million devotees undertaking the Chardham Yatra during a month-long journey. However, this time, the number of visitors has slightly decreased, with approximately 1.235 million devotees undertaking the pilgrimage within a month. The challenging weather conditions at the start of the Chardham Yatra, marked by rain and snowfall in Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath Dham, posed difficulties for the devotees. Despite the adverse weather, if conditions had been favorable, a new record for the number of visitors could have been achieved. However, as the weather cleared, the Char Dham Yatra is now gaining momentum once again, offering a glimmer of hope for a successful pilgrimage season.
Number of pilgrims visiting Chardham Yatra in a month
Dham 2022 2023
Kedarnath 435208 324684
Badrinath 452770 427214
Gangotri 254226 253962
Yamunotri 190104 229697
Total- 13,32,308 12, 35,557
