Char Dham Yatra begins today with opening of Gangotri, Yamunotri temples; CM Dhami extends greetings

Dehradun, April 19:

The portals of the Shri Yamunotri Dham and Shri Gangotri Dham are set to open on the auspicious occasion of Akshay Tritiya on Sunday, marking the start of the annual Char Dham Yatra.

Temples have been beautifully decorated with flowers, and elaborate security arrangements have been put in place.

The ceremonial palanquin (‘Doli’) of Goddess Ganga has already departed from her winter abode in Mukhba village after special prayers and rituals, amidst great enthusiasm and devotion among locals and pilgrims. Meanwhile, the palanquin of Goddess Yamuna also departed from her winter abode in Kharsali village.

The village witnessed vibrant celebrations, with chants of “Jai Maa Gange”, accompanied by traditional instruments such as ‘dhol-damau’ and ‘ransingha’. A large number of devotees, priests, sadhus, and officials participated in the procession, reflecting a deep sense of faith and unity.

On Sunday, the idols will be placed inside the Yamunotri and Gangotri temple complexes.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said,

“Today, on the sacred occasion of Akshay Tritiya, the gates of Shri Gangotri and Shri Yamunotri Dham will be opened for devotees with full rites and rituals. With this, the Char Dham Yatra-2026 is also being inaugurated.”

He said that the state government has ensured “comprehensive and robust” preparations to make the Char Dham Yatra “safe, well-organized, and devotee-friendly”.

“I pray to Mother Ganga and Mother Yamuna that they fill all your lives with happiness, prosperity, and progress,” added CM Dhami.

In another post, the Chief Minister said, “A warm welcome and greetings to all devotees in the land of the gods, Uttarakhand. During the journey, please adhere to the prescribed rules and, keeping environmental conservation in mind, actively contribute to making this holy pilgrimage plastic-free. May the Lord bless this holy journey with happiness, prosperity, and spiritual advancement in all your lives.”

Meanwhile, Shri Kedarnath Dham will open on April 22, followed by Shri Badrinath Dham on April 23.

Until Saturday evening, 18.9 lakh pilgrims had registered online for the yatra. Kedarnath had the highest registrations at 6.5 lakh, followed by Badrinath (5.5 lakh), Gangotri (3.3 lakh) and Yamunotri (3.2 lakh).

Earlier on Saturday, CM Dhami flagged off the yatra from the Char Dham Yatra Transit Camp in Rishikesh, marking the formal initiation of one of the most sacred pilgrimages in Sanatan Dharma. The Chief Minister interacted with devotees, extended his congratulations, and wished them a safe and spiritually fulfilling journey.

Given the cold climate conditions in the mountainous regions, additional facilities have been arranged across all four shrines — Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath.

The Char Dham Yatra traditionally begins from Haridwar or Rishikesh and proceeds through Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and ultimately Badrinath, drawing thousands of devotees from across India and abroad every year.

The Char Dham Yatra began on Friday with the opening of the portals of Yamunotri, Gangotri and Kedarnath Dham amidst Vedic chants on the occasion of Akshay Tritiya in the Garhwal Himalayas. The shrines, decked up with flowers, saw a sea of ​​pilgrims on the first day.

The portal of Gangotri Dham was first to open at 12:15 PM, while the portal of Yamunotri Dham opened at 12:35 PM amid chants of Jai Maa Ganga and Jai Maa Yamuna in the presence of a large number of devotees.

“All rituals were conducted strictly in accordance with traditional Vedic rites to ensure the sanctity of the opening of the portal at 12:15 pm,” said secretary of the temple committee Suresh Semwal.

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was present at the opening ceremony besides thousands of pilgrims who had gathered in the temple courtyard at Gangotri Dham.

“The safety and well-organized conduct of the Char Dham Yatra is a collective priority, as it is our shared goal to maintain a secure and safe yatra for pilgrims, for which all stakeholders and those associated with the Char Dham Yatra have worked with full dedication and meticulous planning,” CM Dhami said.

With the opening of the first two shrines, the administration has deployed strong measures for health services, crowd management and infrastructure.

CM Dhami reiterated the government’s commitment to making the yatra a “divine and safe” experience and urged pilgrims to follow all safety guidelines as they embark on their spiritual quest.

“With the opening of the portal, the Char Dham Yatra has officially started, and devotees can now offer prayers in the Yamunotri temple for the next six months,” spokesman for the Yamuna temple committee Purshotam Uniyal said.

In Uttarakhand, the portals of Shri Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines, situated in Uttarkashi district, will be opened today for devotees on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya. Akashvani reporter reports that the portals of the Gangotri shrine will open at 12:15 PM, while those of the Yamunotri shrine will open at 12:35 PM. With this, the Char Dham Yatra in the state will formally commence.

the Char Dham Yatra 2026

The process of opening the portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines in the Uttarkashi district started yesterday. Both shrines have been beautifully decorated with several quintals of flowers. Meanwhile, the ceremonial palanquin of Goddess Ganga departed yesterday afternoon from her winter adobe at Mukhba for the Gangotri shrine, accompanied by an army band and local musical instruments.

According to the temple committee, the palanquin will reach the Gangotri shrine this morning after a night halt at Bhairongahati. Likewise, the ceremonial palanquin of Goddess Yamuna will depart this morning from Kharsali for the Yamunotri shrine. After the palanquins reach the shrines, the portals of both temples will be opened this noon for the summer season.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will be present at the Gangotri shrine on the event of the opening of the portals. He said that all preparations for the yatra have been completed. This year, monitoring at all shrines will be carried out through high-tech cameras from a security perspective. Adequate police and paramilitary forces have also been deployed.

In addition, appropriate arrangements have been made for drinking water, electricity, toilets, and rest houses along the yatra routes and at the shrines. The kapat of the Kedarnath shrine will open on April 22, and those of Badrinath shrine on April 23.

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