The major historic spiritual destination, one among the four historic temples, over eight hundred years old Kedarnath Dham witnessed a record more than thirty thousand pilgrims visiting it to pay obeisance to Lord Kedarnath giving a look of saffron on the first day of its opening on 3 rd May, 2025. Though the government of Uttarakhand had prohibited the you tubers making reels etc at the Char Dhams , there were hundreds of pilgrims and you tubers taking pictures, making reels and recording the event. The chief minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami along with his wife and security visited the first day to inaugurate the event , opening of the doors of Kedarnath temple and offering prayers. There was also a cultural programme with colourful folk songs and dances at the Kedarnath precincts where not an inch of space was available due to massive footfalls of pilgrims chanting Har Har Mahadev. There were hundreds, rather thousands of pilgrims from Garhwal, Uttarakhand following the Doli of BabaKedarnath on the inaugural day at Kedarnath precincts. The atmosphere was totally spiritual with delicious Langars also organised for the pilgrims. According to sources in the very first day on 3 rd May at Kedarnath there were 30,154 footfalls while Gangotri from where originates the Bhagirathi river from Gangotri glacier had around 17,362 footfalls with Yamunotri having the presence of 29,554 pilgrims. Earlier the Kedarnath temple had witnessed 75000 pilgrims during the first three days last year which is situated at 3,583 metres above the sea level. Looking at the first day’s crowd this time it seems that during the entire season the record of last year will be broken as in 2024 the total footfalls at Kedarnath portal were 16,52,070. However, this figure was four lakhs less than its previous year in 2023 when about 19,lakh 61 thousand pilgrims visited Kedarnath Dham. Due to heavy rush and Kedarnath in particular being at high altitude there is lack of oxygen and the lives of the senior citizens and those already suffering from cardiac and lung related ailments are the worst sufferers who are advised not to go at these destinations as majority of the casualties are due to respiratory complications affecting mostly those with old age and already suffering from cardiac ailments. There are casualties due to dehydration as well and sometimes lack of non availability of medicines and adequate medical care, though there are arrangements from the government’s side. But in view of the increasing footfalls the medical agencies are not able to cope with the situation. If we have a look on the statistics of casualties last year there were total 246 deaths out of which 120 pilgrims have met their sad end at Kedarnath Dham. Sixty five pilgrims died in Badrinath, 40 in Yamunotri and 17 at Gangotri. In Hemkunt Sahib too ten pilgrims died. There were three hundred deaths in 2024.
There was a chaotic situation in Kedarnath due to heavy rush and total mismanagement as the pilgrims in thousands stood in the queues for several hours raising anti management and anti priests slogans for their turns being stagnated as the temple doors were closed despite the pilgrims having deposited their tokens with the temple aithorities. The pilgrims were in total mess standing in the queues, some being ill, some fatigued badly having walked from Gauri Kund on feet, having come from distant states after several days of tiresome journey. They complained of total mismanagement and non availability of any facility with Kedarnath precincts having no spece to even sit. The pilgrims were also complaining of exorbitant rents of the hotel rooms beyind the capacity of the common man to pay. The room charges were Rs 5000 for an individual bed or room which according to the pilgrims was too costly. They were also complaining of lack of medical facilities and doctors including medicines and emergency medical aids etc. The food items , bisleri water and snacks too were extremely costly complained the pilgrims with no hygienic quality.
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