Char Dham Yatra 2024: The Uttarakhand government on Thursday (May 16) decided not to allow VIP darshan at the 'Char dhams' (four pilgrimages)- Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri- through the rest of the month due to the huge rush of devotees at the Himalayan temples.
There will be no arrangements for Very important person (VIP) darshan at the Char dhams till May 31 (Friday) and offline registration in Haridwar and Rishikesh will remain closed till May 19 (Sunday), Chief Secretary Radha Raturi said in a letter to her counterparts in all states and Union Territories.
Ban on making reels for social media
A ban has also been imposed on videography and making social media reels within a 50 metre radius of the temples, she said. Videography is being done and reels are being made on the temples' premises by some pilgrims due to which people gather at one place, causing inconvenience, Raturi said.
Char Dham Yatra
The Char Dham Yatra started on May 10 (Friday). In the first six days of the pilgrimage, till Wednesday, at least 3,34,732 people from India and abroad have visited the shrines to offer prayers. Registration for the yatra started on April 25 and, till Thursday evening, more than 27 lakh devotees had registered for it.
Registration mandatory for devotees
According to an earlier letter written to the chief secretaries of other states on April 30, VIP darshan was not to be allowed at the temples till May 25. Prior registration for the yatra is mandatory and devotees can have a darshan at the dhams only on the dates allotted to them at the time of registration, Raturi said.
Elderly devotees with a medical history should get themselves tested before embarking on the yatra and follow the guidelines issued by the Health Department of Uttarakhand, the chief secretary said.
Relevance of Char Dham Yatra
The Char Dham Yatra holds profound spiritual significance in Hinduism. This journey typically occurs from April-May to October-November. It is believed that one should complete the Char Dham Yatra in a clockwise direction. Hence, the pilgrimage starts from Yamunotri, proceeds towards Gangotri, onto Kedarnath, and it finally ends at Badrinath.
The journey can be completed by road or by air (helicopter services are available). The Char Dham Yatra, or pilgrimage, is a tour of four holy sites- Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. In Hindi, 'char' means four and 'dham' refers to religious destinations.
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