On the auspicious day of Akshay Tritiya, the Char Dham Yatra commences today. Pilgrims will be able to visit the four holy places—Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath—during the next six months. This pilgrimage is one of the most sacred in the world. All of the Char Dham locations are dedicated to a different god: Kedarnath is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas and is dedicated to Lord Shiva, and Badrinath is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Gangotri is dedicated to Goddess Ganga, and Yamunotri is dedicated to Goddess Yamuna.
On Akshay Tritiya, Gangotri temple gates opened at 10:30 AM and Yamunotri gates at 11:50 AM. The Kedarnath temple will be open for devotees on May 2, 2025, at 7:00 AM, and Badrinath on May 4, 2025.
This year, special security measures have been put in place for the Yatra. Extra police personnel have been posted, and the route is demarcated into 2 super zones, 7 zones, and 26 sectors. Top police officers, PAC, SDRF, fire brigade, home guards, and PRD staff—approximately 850 people—have been deployed.
The Yatra normally begins from Haridwar or Dehradun, by road or helicopter. Helicopter services are provided from Dehradun to places near each temple.
