A cluster of natural disasters have greatly affected the Chardham Yatra 2025 in Uttarakhand and altered the pilgrimage pathways, posing challenges to the devotees never experienced before. The Yatra traditionally includes four sacred shrines: Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath; however, in this season, the Yatra has been restricted to Kedarmath and Badrinath only. Repeated landslides and heavy rains have made the way to Gangotri and Yamunotri unreachable so that the authorities have to halt pilgrims’ activity to the two shrines altogether. This has not only changed the pilgrimage experience over the years, but also exerted enormous pressure on the few paths that are available.
Kedarnath is among the holiest places and it still receives big crowds of followers despite the harsh weather. Landslides along the highway between Sonprayag and Gaurikund have however repeatedly caused traffic jams, occasionally clearing one and half kilometers of road. Pilgrims are usually compelled to stop their trip, and rescue crews clear up the debris and make sure that it is safe. Badrinath is no exception as even there landslides have been taking place like Kameda and Lambagarh which are creating delay and a feeling of uncertainty that is always present to travelers. These natural hazards have resulted in the Yatra being more dangerous than it was in the past years and therefore the authorities must ensure that they are on high alert at all times.
Monsoon rains have been unending and this has resulted in some temporary suspensions and rescue operations along the affected routes. In June, a massive landslide on the Yamunotri road trapped many devotees on the Bhairav Temple, and a comparable event on the Kedarnath road trapped more than a thousand pilgrims, which required massive evacuations. Through these incidents, the Uttarakhand government has been forced to send more people, such as disaster response teams and volunteers to control the safety and direct pilgrims to dangerous areas.
The terrain covering the Chardham routes is very susceptible, and the count of high-risk landslides zones has almost doubled the ones of the past years. A lot of these areas do not have any alternative routes; this means that pilgrims have to walk through potentially threatening zones without any alternative way. These obstacles notwithstanding, the soul of the Yatra has not been diminished and thousands of people still take the trip to Kedarnath and Badrinath with faith and devotion.
Officials are still stressing about precaution and safety of all pilgrims. Although both Gangotri and Yamunotri are closed during this season, Kedarnath and Badrinath are still open to devotees who are strictly monitored. The 2025 Chardham Yatra is therefore a symbol of the fortitude of the pilgrims as well as the harshness of the monsoon climate and the mountainous nature of Uttarakhand, which makes faith a very thin line between safety and faith.
