The Char Dham Yatra to Kedarnath was halted on Monday in Uttarakhand due to strong winds, heavy rain, and snowfall, although pilgrimages to Gangotri, Yamunotri, Hemkund Sahib, and Badrinath went on as intended.
On Sunday, the Hemkund Sahib Yatra began, with 5,000 pilgrims allowed to visit the shrine each day. “Light snow fell on Hemkund Sahib on the day the shrine’s doors were opened, but it had no effect on the yatra,” said NS Bindra, deputy president of the Hemkund Sahib Management Trust.
The district administration halted the pilgrimage to the Kedarnath shrine in Rudraprayag, citing the pilgrims’ safety.
Due to the severe rain, pilgrims who have arrived in Ukhimath, Sonprayag, and Gaurikund have been instructed to stay there until further notice, according to district disaster management officer NK Rajwar, since winds, thunderstorms, and lightning pose a risk to them on their approach to Kedarnath.
