Char Dham Yatra suspended for two days as weather worsens

The Char Dham Yatra, one of Hinduism's most significant pilgrimage circuits in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, has been suspended for September 26 and 27 owing to deteriorating weather conditions.

Garhwal Commissioner Anand Swaroop issued a directive halting the yatra across the four sacred shrines—Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath—citing unsafe travel conditions. The decision was taken to ensure the safety of pilgrims undertaking the challenging mountain routes during monsoon-affected weather patterns.

According to the commissioner's letter, normal operations are expected to resume once weather patterns stabilise and visibility improves across the region. The timing of the suspension coincides with active monsoon activity in the higher Himalayan altitudes, which frequently impacts accessibility to the pilgrimage sites.

The Char Dham Yatra, which typically runs from spring through autumn, attracts hundreds of thousands of devotees annually. Such weather-related suspensions are periodically imposed during the pilgrimage season to prevent accidents on treacherous mountain terrain. Pilgrims are advised to monitor official updates before planning their visits to the shrines.