Char Dham crosses 50 lakh pilgrims; second phase of yatra opens 15 September
More than 50 lakh devotees have visited the four Himalayan shrines of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath since the Char Dham Yatra opened in April, the Rozana Spokesman reported on 10 September, citing Uttarakhand government figures. That already equals the roughly 51 lakh pilgrims recorded for the whole of last season, and officials expect the number to reach 60 lakh by the time the shrine gates close in November. The second, post-monsoon phase of the yatra begins on Tuesday, 15 September.
The season so far
The 2026 yatra began on 19 April with the opening of the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines, followed by Kedarnath on 22 April and Badrinath on 23 April. Pilgrim traffic peaks between May and June, thins during the monsoon months of July and August when landslides and road closures are frequent, and picks up again after mid-September as the weather clears and the autumn festival season begins.
The 50-lakh figure by 10 September is significant because it has been reached before the second phase, which in a typical year adds several lakh more pilgrims through October, when Kedarnath and Badrinath are at their most photogenic and the Diwali-week closures approach.
Roads and landslide zones
Ahead of the second phase, the state's public works and disaster management agencies are clearing debris and carrying out temporary repairs on the highways, the report said. Authorities have identified seven landslide-prone stretches on the Badrinath route alone, at Kameda, Parthadeep, Maithana, Banjpur, Virahi, Bhanerpani and Hathi Pahad, in addition to vulnerable sections between Rishikesh and Badrinath and on the Kedarnath approach. Officials have said the yatra routes will remain fully operational.
Pilgrims planning travel in the second half of September should note that the India Meteorological Department has forecast rain and thunderstorms across the northern hills, including Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, through at least 13 September, and that the Uttarakhand hills remain sensitive to sudden road closures until the monsoon fully withdraws.
Pitru Paksha and the autumn calendar
The second phase coincides with the most ritually dense part of the Hindu year. Pitru Paksha, the fortnight devoted to ancestors, begins with Purnima Shraddha on Saturday, 26 September, with Pratipada Shraddha on 27 September, and ends with Sarva Pitru Amavasya on Saturday, 10 October, according to Poojas.in and Smartpuja. Badrinath is one of the most important sites in the country for pind daan, alongside Gaya, and typically sees a rise in pilgrims performing ancestral rites at Brahma Kapal during these two weeks.
Sharadiya Navratri follows immediately, beginning Sunday, 11 October, and Diwali-week closures of the shrines usually follow within a month.
Registration remains mandatory
Pilgrims must register on the Uttarakhand tourism department's yatra portal or at counters in Haridwar and Rishikesh before proceeding; the state has enforced daily caps at the shrines in recent seasons. Those travelling with elderly family members are advised to carry medical certificates and to acclimatise for a day at Guptkashi or Joshimath before the final ascent to Kedarnath or Badrinath.