The Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand has witnessed a massive influx of devotees this season, with more than 31 lakh pilgrims visiting the Himalayan shrines since the pilgrimage began in April, while 161 deaths have been reported so far, according to official data released on Sunday.
The annual pilgrimage covers the four revered shrines of Kedarnath, Gangotri, Gangotri and Yamunotri, along with the Sikh pilgrimage site of Hemkund Sahib, and is considered one of the most significant religious journeys in India.
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre, Kedarnath Dham has recorded the highest footfall this season with 11,05,676 pilgrims since its doors opened on April 22. Badrinath Dham followed with 9,08,619 visitors since April 23.
Among the other shrines, Gangotri Dham received 5,28,406 pilgrims, while Yamunotri Dham recorded 5,07,421 devotees. Hemkund Sahib saw 55,411 pilgrims during the season so far.
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Officials said 4,697 trekkers visited Gaumukh, the glacier source of the Bhagirathi river, and these numbers have been included in the Gangotri tally.
On Saturday alone, 61,262 pilgrims reached the shrines, while 5,511 vehicles were recorded on the yatra routes. Since the beginning of the season, a total of 2,89,918 vehicles have used the pilgrimage roads, reflecting the scale of movement towards the high-altitude temples.
Despite elaborate arrangements, the Yatra has also seen a significant number of fatalities. Official figures show 161 deaths among pilgrims since April 19.
Medical complications and deteriorating health conditions accounted for 152 deaths, while eight were due to other causes and one due to natural reasons.
Yamunotri reported the highest number of deaths at 78, followed by Kedarnath with 47, Badrinath with 20, and Gangotri with 16 fatalities.
The Char Dham Yatra typically draws lakhs of pilgrims each year from across India, with authorities deploying large-scale arrangements involving health services, traffic management and disaster preparedness in the fragile Himalayan terrain. However, officials continue to caution pilgrims about altitude sickness, weather variability and health risks associated with the high-altitude journey.
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