Uttarkashi: The sacred Char Dham Yatra officially commenced on Sunday, April 19, 2026, coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya. The portals of the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines, situated in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, were opened to devotees amidst Vedic chants and traditional rituals. The ceremonial palanquin of Goddess Yamuna departed from Kharsali early Sunday morning to reach the shrine, following the departure of Goddess Ganga’s palanquin from her winter abode in Mukhba the previous afternoon.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami formally inaugurated the pilgrimage by flagging off the first batch of yatris from the transit camp in Rishikesh. Addressing the pilgrims, the Chief Minister emphasized the state’s commitment to a “safe, well-organised, and devotee-friendly” experience. He also issued a public appeal for environmental conservation, urging devotees to help make the pilgrimage plastic-free. To manage the immense influx of pilgrims, the administration has deployed high-tech surveillance cameras and significant police and paramilitary forces across the trekking routes.
Registration figures highlight the massive scale of the 2026 season, with 18.9 lakh pilgrims already signed up by Saturday evening. The Kedarnath shrine leads with 6.5 lakh registrations, followed by Badrinath at 5.5 lakh. While the portals of Yamunotri and Gangotri are now open, the ‘kapat’ for Kedarnath is scheduled to open on April 22, followed by Badrinath on April 23. Authorities have finalized arrangements for electricity, water, and emergency medical shelters at high-altitude halting points to mitigate the challenges posed by the cold mountainous weather.
