Panch Mukhi Doli departs from Guptkashi, more than 21 lakh register for Char Dham Yatra
Wednesday, 08 MAY 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
With just a couple of days left for the formal start of the Char Dham Yatra, more than 21 lakh people have registered so far to visit the Char Dham shrines. Meanwhile, the Panch Mukhi Doli of Lord Kedarnath departed from Vishwanath temple in Guptkashi for its second halt at Fata on Tuesday.
The Panch Mukhi Doli departed from Vishwanath temple in Guptkashi at 8:45 AM on Tuesday on its journey towards Kedarnath which is slated to be reopened to the public on May 10. The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) media in-charge Harish Gaur informed that the Chalvigrah Utsav Doli of Lord Kedarnath is carried on foot by the committee’s volunteers and traditional right holders barefoot from his winter abode at Omkareshwar temple in Ukhimath to Kedarnath temple. During its departure from Guptkashi, devotees and school children showered flowers and hailed the lord at various places. A number of devotees are also accompanying the Doli to Kedarnath, he added.
Meanwhile, more than 21 lakh people have registered to visit the Char Dham shrines and Hemkund Sahib so far. According to information provided by the Tourism department, 21,40,505 people have registered so far to visit the Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib. Till Tuesday, 7, 41,120 people had registered to visit Kedarnath while 6,38,725 had registered to visit Badrinath, 3,81,267 to visit Gangotri and 3,35,413 to visit the Yamunotri temple. Further, 43,980 people have registered so far to visit the Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara. Out of the total number of people who have registered so far, 16,54,972 have registered on the web portal, 2,92,753 have registered on the mobile phone application and 1,92,780 have registered through WhatsApp, officials informed.
It is pertinent to mention here that more than 56 lakh people had visited the Char Dham during 2023. The State government is expecting that last year’s record will be broken by the number of people who undertake the Char Dham Yatra this year. Along with Kedarnath, the Gangotri and Yamunotri temples will reopen on May 10 while Badrinath is slated to be reopened to the devotees on May 12.
