PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Jyotirmath
A new record for the number of pilgrims has been set at Badrinath Dham, breaking all previous records. So far this year, 1,867,000 pilgrims have had darshan of Lord Badrivishal. The last pilgrim turnout record at the revered shrine was made in 2023, when about 18, 39, 000 pilgrims had reached for darshan during the entire Yatra period.
However, some of the elderly pilgrims had to return without darshan, given the sudden spike in the pilgrim numbers. Many alleged that the senior functionaries of Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee were more concerned about making reels than improving the arrangements in the Dham.
The portals of Badrinath Dham opened for devotees on April 23 this year. Since the opening of the portals, the number of devotees has steadily increased, setting a new record in October. There is still time before the portals close for winter. The closing date is announced on the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami.
The president of the Brahmakapal Tirtha Purohit Mahapanchayat, Umesh Chandra Sati said that the number of devotees at Badrinath Dham is steadily increasing.The committee has indeed made arrangements for elderly devotees to skip the queues for darshan, but this arrangement does not seem to be working well.
