Dehradun: The Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand witnessed the highest-ever footfall this year with over 40 lakhs of people travelling to the four Himalayan shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. According to sources, at least 44,79,525 devotees took part in the Yatra this year.
The Yatra will continue for more than a month. Sources said that the record will cross over 50 lakhs this year. At least 6,73,462 devotees undertook the Yatra to Yamunotri Dham, 8,16,362 devotees to Gangotri Dham, 1,531,946 to Kedarnath Dham and 1,457,755 to Badrinath Dham. In 2019, the Char Dham Yatra set a record and over 36 lakh devotees undertook the Yatra, however, this year, the devotees broke the record and set a new mark.
Meanwhile, the eighteen-kilometre-long trekking route to Kedarnath Dham starts from the Gaurikund base camp. Devotees hire horse or mule services or palanquins from the Gauri Kund.
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People belonging to Nepali origin have been associated with the Char Dham Yatra pilgrimage. Gauri Kund is also called mini-Nepal due to the sizable population of Nepali origin people. People associated with the Char Dham Yatra were eagerly waiting for the Yatra. The prepaid counters were set up for taking up the services of the horses or mules. These counters were set up a few distance away from Gauri Kund.
The animal husbandry department has arranged hot water facilities for horses and mules. Besides, hot water facilities will be provided to pilgrims also. Such arrangements were made all along the Yatra route. Apart from this, health centres were set up at various places to provide better medicare facilities to the pilgrims.
