Watch | Return to Char Dham in May was a mixed bag for pilgrims

A video on the return of the full-scale Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand after two years lost to the pandemic, and the issues of poor crowd management that made it an ordeal for many pilgrims

The Char Dham Yatra — an annual pilgrimage to four Hindu shrines: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath after being a low-key affair for the last two years owing to COVID-19 restrictions. resumed on a full scale this year

The pilgrimage, considered one of the most sacred by the followers of Hinduism, is a journey to the abodes of four deities: Yamunotri (goddess Yamuna) and Gangotri (goddess Ganga) in Uttarkashi district; Kedarnath (Lord Shiva) in Rudraprayag district; and Badrinath (Lord Vishnu) in Chamoli district.

The State administration is finding crowd management an uphill task amid complaints by pilgrims about overpriced amenities and inadequate medical facilities. The influx of pilgrims has also resulted in rising air pollution and growing piles of garbage that environmentalists say could hurt the State’s fragile ecology.

However, tour operators and hoteliers are heaving a sigh of relief after reeling under losses during the pandemic.