DEHRADUN: Faith and unwavering devotion have once again proven stronger than the formidable challenges posed by nature, as pilgrims flock to Uttarakhand’s revered Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib.Despite treacherous weather, cloudbursts and landslide-blocked routes, over 42 lakh devotees had visited these holy sites by Sunday evening.Hemkund Sahib, the sacred Sikh shrine, has notably achieved a new milestone, welcoming a record number of pilgrims.The complexities and road obstacles along the paths to the Char Dhams and Hemkund Sahib have been rendered insignificant by the sheer dedication of the devotees. This indomitable spirit was particularly evident among pilgrims heading to Hemkund Sahib, the meditation site of Sri Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru.”By Sunday, the number of pilgrims visiting Char Dham had crossed 4,206,386,” Yogendra Gangwar, Joint Director of the Uttarakhand Tourism Department’s pilgrimage division, told TNIE. He further elaborated on the breakdown, stating,”This includes 1,459,752 pilgrims who visited Kedarnath and 1,250,582 devotees from India and abroad who arrived to offer prayers at Badrinath.”Gangwar also provided figures for the other sacred sites. “The number of pilgrims reaching Yamunotri Dham so far this time has been 586,492, while Gangotri Dham’s pilgrim count reached 669,214 on August 5. Subsequently, due to the Dharali disaster, the route has been closed for the past 12 days, preventing further pilgrims from visiting,” he explained.
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