Two pilgrims die on opening day of Chardham Yatra-2026
Two pilgrims participating in the Chardham Yatra died on Sunday, the opening day of the 2026 pilgrimage season, reportedly due to suspected asphyxia.
Two pilgrims participating in the Chardham Yatra died on Sunday, the opening day of the 2026 pilgrimage season, reportedly due to suspected asphyxia.
The portals of the Badrinath Shrine were closed for the winter season on Tuesday as per traditional rituals and the chanting of Vedic Mantras in the presence of a huge crowd of devotees
The Rudraprayag district administration had to suspend the pilgrimage as a huge mass of hilltop slided down blocking 1.5 kilometers of the road.
The Indo-Pak conflict has started impacting the Char Dham pilgrimage and tourism in Uttarakhand, with more than half of the hotel and flight bookings cancelled in the last 2-3 days.
Chardham Pilgrimage 2025 formally began with the opening of the portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri Shrines and Uttarakhand Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami seeking the blessing of the deity in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While there were 35 identified landslide zones on the Char Dham Yatra routes during the last pilgrimage season, the number has now increased to 66 for the upcoming season beginning April 30.
Pagal Nala is one of the most susceptible places among nine disaster-prone locations identified enroute Badrinath Shrine.
The Uttarakhand government has decided against allowing VIP darshan in the first month of the Chardham pilgrimage for Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri starting on April 1.
Dhami instructed senior officials not to allow unregistered vehicles and those not carrying valid fitness certificates in the hills on the pilgrimage route.
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday directed officials to ensure adequate safety norms and means for the mules are put in place before the start of Chardham pilgrimage on May 10.
