Offline registration opens for Char Dham Yatra, devotee numbers continue to rise

Offline registration for the annual Char Dham Yatra commenced on Friday, with 2,713 pilgrims completing physical enrolment on the first day, officials said. The manual registration process has begun just ahead of the pilgrimage, which is set to formally start on Sunday.

According to official data, 683 pilgrims registered for Yamunotri, 690 for Gangotri, 667 for Kedarnath, and 673 for Badrinath at designated offline counters. Authorities have also deployed teams at key transit points to facilitate on-the-spot registration , ensuring smoother access for devotees arriving without prior booking.

Meanwhile, the online registration portal, which opened on March 6, continues to witness a strong response. Nearly 18.23 lakh pilgrims have registered digitally so far, taking the total number of registrations online and offline combined to around 18.25 lakh .

The pilgrimage will officially begin on April 19 , coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya . The sacred shrines of Yamunotri Temple and Gangotri Temple will open on the same day, marking the start of the yatra season. The portals of Kedarnath Temple are scheduled to open on April 22, followed by Badrinath Temple on April 23.

The Char Dham Yatra , one of Hinduism’s most revered pilgrimages , involves visiting four sacred shrines nestled in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand. These shrinesYamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath are dedicated respectively to Goddess Yamuna, Goddess Ganga, Lord Shiva, and Lord Vishnu . Undertaken between April and November, the yatra is believed to cleanse sins and pave the way for spiritual liberation (moksha).

Every year, lakhs of devotees undertake this arduous journey across high-altitude terrain , braving challenging weather and difficult trekking routes as an expression of deep faith. With registrations already crossing significant numbers, authorities are gearing up with enhanced logistical arrangements, safety measures, and crowd management plans to ensure a smooth and secure pilgrimage season.