More than 17 lakh visit Kedarnath, number expected to cross 20 lakh by end of Yatra

Wednesday, 18 OCTOBER 2023 | PNS | PAURI

A record number of more than 17 lakh people have visited the Kedarnath Dham this year. The Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) executive officer RC Tiwari said that a new record has been set with more than 17 lakh visiting Kedarnath during the Char Dham Yatra this year. He averred that the Rudraprayag district administration and BKTC have been focusing on all facilities for pilgrims visiting Kedarnath. The number of pilgrims visiting Kedarnath crossed 17 lakh on Monday and with about a month still left before the portals of the temple are closed to the public for the winter, authorities expect that the number may cross 20 lakh. About 16 lakh pilgrims had visited Kedarnath last year. The Kedarnath temple was opened to the public on April 25 this year. The number of pilgrims dwindled due to inclement weather during May though the pilgrimage picked up pace with the weather clearing.

Following the recent snowfall and resulting drop in temperatures, the authorities have arranged for bonfires at various locations for the benefit of the visitors.