Delhi: The Char Dham yatra is a Hindu pilgrimage in Uttarakhand. The yatra is a pilgrimage to the four major Hindu pilgrimage sites in Uttarakhand—Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri. The pilgrimage typically takes place from May to October, when the weather is favourable. The Char Dham Yatra for 2025 commenced on April 30, 2025, with the inauguration of the Yamunotri and Gangotri temples during the favorable event of Akshay Tritiya.
The Kedarnath temple subsequently opened on May 2, while the Badrinath temple opened on May 4, 2025. The closing date of Gangotri and Yamunotri has been announced. Read the article to check the details.
About the Char Dham yatra closing date
The Char Dham yatra, including the Hemkund Yatra, began on April 30. The pilgrimages to Yamunotri and Gangotri began on April 30, followed by Kedarnath on May 2, Badrinath on May 4, and Hemkund on May 25. The Char Dham yatra is soon to be closed. The doors of the Yamunotri shrine will close for the winter season on October 22. The doors of the Gangotri shrine will close during the Abhijit Muhurta on the occasion of Annakut.
The Four Holy Shrines:
Yamunotri
Yamunotri, also known as Jamnotri, is the source of the Yamuna River. Goddess Yamuna is the daughter of Surya, the Sun God, and sister of Yamraj (the God of Death). Yamunotri is situated at an altitude of 3,293 metres (10,804 ft) in the Garhwal Himalayas. The main attraction at Yamunotri is the temple dedicated to Goddess Yamuna and the holy and nearby hot spring Surya Kund.
Yamunotri |
Gangotri
Gangotri is a pilgrimage town which is situated on the bank of the river Bhagirathi. The source of the Ganges River is the Bhagirathi River, originating from the Gangotri Glacier in the Himalayas in Uttarakhand. After the origin, it is known as the Bhagirathu River, and then it joins with the Alaknanda River at Devprayag.
At this location, the two rivers merge, and their combined flow is then known as the Ganga River. Apart from the river itself, the main attraction includes the temple, which is dedicated to the Goddess Ganga and the Gaumukh Trek (a region of the Himalayas where the Ganga originates). Other attractions are Pandav Gufa, the scenic Harsil village, and the beautiful Kedartal lake.
Kedarnath | Canva
Kedarnath
Kedarnath is a spiritual pilgrimage in the Indian Himalayas, Uttarakhand. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the holy Char Dham Yatra. The 16 km-long yatra originates from Gaurikund. Kedarnath temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. According to legends, the Pandavas built the temple to seek forgiveness from Lord Shiva after the Mahabharata war.
Badrinath
The Badrinath Dham is one of the crucial parts of the Hindu Char Dham Yatra, which is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is located in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand, and it is nestled between the Nar and Narayan mountain ranges on the banks of the Alaknanda River. The temple is home to a black stone statue of Lord Vishnu, and it is the site where Lord Vishnu meditated. According to legend, Goddess Lakshmi sheltered Lord Vishnu under a berry tree (Badri tree) during his meditation, a legend that gives the site its name.
