Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Radha Raturi has extended the prohibition on VIP darshan until May 31 due to the large number of pilgrims on the Char Dham Yatra, ensuring that all devotees can conveniently access the four Dhams. She has also announced a ban on videography/making reels for social media within a radius of 50m of the temple complex in all four Dhams. She has given this order to Secretary Tourism, Commissioner Garhwal Division & DMs and SPs of the concerned districts.
The 2024 Char Dham Yatra commenced as the Kedarnath temple opened on the auspicious occasion of Akshay Tritiya on May 1. The ceremony involved the chanting of bhajans and 'Har Har Mahadev' at the revered Lord Shiva shrine. On May 10, the doors of Yamunotri and Gangotri Dham were opened, followed by the opening of the portals of the Badrinath shrine on May 12. Each year, thousands of devotees visit these sacred sites, closed for about six months during the winter. The yatra typically starts from April/May to October/November.
The Char Dham Yatra is a deeply spiritual pilgrimage in Hinduism.This pilgrimage, known as the Char Dham Yatra, includes a tour of four sacred sites — Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. In Hindi, "char" means four, and "dham" denotes religious destinations, according to the Uttarakhand tourism's official website.