Even after the closure of the Char Dham shrines for the winter, the enthusiasm of pilgrims remains undiminished. More than 34,000 devotees have visited the winter abodes of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri.
Since the commencement of the winter pilgrimage last year, the landscape of religious tourism in the mountains has transformed. The winter abodes of the Char Dhams have been bustling with pilgrims. The winter pilgrimage, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi promoted during his visit to Uttarakhand a year ago, is now gaining momentum. Thanks to the efforts of the state government, Uttarakhand’s winter pilgrimage is writing a new chapter.
Pilgrims from across the country and the world are arriving at the winter abodes associated with the Char Dhams, such as Ukhimath, Pandukeshwar, Joshimath, Mukhwa, and Kharsali. Since the closure of the Char Dham shrines this year, 34,140 devotees have already visited these sites. The winter pilgrimage is expected to continue for another two and a half months. In 2024-25, 73,381 pilgrims participated in the winter pilgrimage.
Ukhimath Leads in Winter Pilgrimage
Ukhimath, the winter seat of Baba Kedarnath, has received the highest number of pilgrims during the winter pilgrimage. According to Dr. Prajapati Nautiyal, Special Officer of the Char Dham Yatra Management and Control Organization, more than 20,000 devotees have offered prayers and had darshan of Baba Kedarnath at the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath. Dr. Nautiyal stated that 1,000 to 1,500 pilgrims are arriving in Uttarakhand daily to visit the winter abodes.
The winter pilgrimage is successfully continuing for the second consecutive year. The way Prime Minister Narendra Modi promoted this pilgrimage in Uttarakhand during his visit to Mukhwa and Harsil has yielded positive results. The success of the year-round pilgrimage is boosting the tourism industry. The state government is committed to promoting the winter pilgrimage and is working diligently towards this goal
