Record-Breaking Crowds At Kedarnath Yatra: Over 200,000 Devotees Offer Prayers In Just 7 Days
Since the very beginning of the pilgrimage season, the number of devotees arriving at Kedarnath Dham from both within India and abroad has been steadily increasing. In just the first seven days of the Yatra, more than 200,000 pilgrims have already offered their prayers to Lord Shiva (Bhole Baba).
While the surge in pilgrim numbers at Kedarnath has significantly boosted both religious tourism and general tourism in the region, it has also led to a substantial increase in the revenue of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee.
The portals of the Kedarnath Temple were opened for public worship on April 22. From the very onset of the pilgrimage season, crowds of devotees began to throng Kedarnath Dham. On the opening day alone, 38,000 pilgrims arrived to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva.
Since the opening of the portals, an average of approximately 30,000 pilgrims have been arriving daily to offer their prayers. In view of this surge in pilgrim numbers, the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee and the local administration have extended the daily darshan (worship) hours at Kedarnath to ensure that as many pilgrims as possible are able to offer their prayers.
This year, in just seven days, over 207,452 pilgrims have already offered their prayers to Lord Kedarnath. Consequently, with schools now entering their vacation period, an even further increase in the number of pilgrims is anticipated. The pilgrimage is being continuously monitored—not only by the district administration but also at the state government level.
If one examines the statistics from the years preceding the Kedarnath disaster of June 2013, the total number of pilgrims visiting Kedarnath throughout an entire season rarely exceeded 600,000; however, since 2019, there has been a consistent and significant surge in the number of pilgrims.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic led to a decline in pilgrim numbers during the two-year period of 2020–21, a tremendous resurgence in pilgrim numbers has once again been witnessed starting from 2023.
Passenger Figures For One Week
April 22: 38,000
April 23: 25,252
April 24: 30,370
April 25: 31,160
April 26: 32,131
April 27: 29,405
April 28: 21,134
The number of pilgrims visiting Kedarnath for *darshan* (holy viewing) is witnessing a continuous increase. On average, 30,000 pilgrims are paying their respects to ‘Bhole Baba’ every day. Over the span of seven days, the total count of pilgrims who have performed *darshan* has crossed the 200,000 mark. The pilgrimage is expected to gain further momentum following the commencement of summer vacations in schools.
D.S. Bhujwan, Senior Administrative Officer, BKTC
