Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday said the state government is working to establish Uttarakhand as the “Spiritual Capital of the World”, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision. The government is developing major and ancient temples, improving road connectivity, and strengthening infrastructure and basic amenities at pilgrimage destinations across the state.
According to a release from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), Uttarakhand has witnessed a sharp rise in pilgrim arrivals during 2026, with several religious destinations recording their highest-ever footfall.
Uttarakhand Strengthens Religious Tourism Infrastructure
The state government is implementing several initiatives to promote religious tourism and improve the pilgrimage experience. These include:
- Developing major and ancient temples across the state.
- Expanding road connectivity to pilgrimage destinations.
- Improving transport services and visitor facilities.
- Integrating key shrines into tourism circuits.
- Promoting the Manaskhand Mandirmala Mission for the development of Kumaon’s ancient temples on the lines of Kedarkhand.
Chief Minister Dhami said these efforts have significantly boosted pilgrim arrivals not only at the Char Dham shrines but also at several other prominent temples across Uttarakhand.
Char Dham Yatra Sets New Record in 2026
The Char Dham Yatra continues to witness unprecedented participation this year.
According to the state government:
- 45,84,375 (4.58 million) pilgrims completed the Char Dham Yatra during the first 105 days of the pilgrimage season in 2026.
- The pilgrimage is on course to register one of its highest-ever annual footfalls.
Major Shrines Record Sharp Increase in Pilgrim Arrivals
According to the Uttarakhand Tourism Department’s report for January-June 2026, several prominent temples registered remarkable growth compared to the same period in 2025.
- Jageshwar Dham (Almora): 1,74,119 pilgrims in January–June 2026, up from 67,875 during the same period in 2025.
- Triyuginarayan Temple (Rudraprayag): 3,40,385 pilgrims in the first half of 2026, compared to 1,36,120 in 2025.
- Purnagiri Dham (Champawat): 20,91,788 pilgrims visited the shrine between January and June 2026, up from 14,35,290 a year earlier.
- Dhari Devi Temple (Srinagar): 5,42,626 devotees visited the temple in the first six months of 2026, compared to 2,83,275 during the corresponding period in 2025.
The figures show:
- Jageshwar Dham and Triyuginarayan Temple recorded nearly 2.5 times more pilgrims than last year.
- Dhari Devi Temple witnessed almost a twofold increase in devotees.
- Purnagiri Dham saw pilgrim arrivals grow by around 1.5 times.
Rishikesh Region Emerges as a Major Tourist Hub
Tourist destinations around Muni Ki Reti, Tapovan and Shivpuri in Tehri district also registered significant growth.
- January-June 2026: 15,97,439 tourists
- January-June 2025: 13,62,600 tourists
Meanwhile, Kartik Swami Temple in Rudraprayag and Surkanda Devi Temple in Tehri also recorded a notable increase in pilgrim arrivals.
Yamunotri Dham Registers Highest-Ever Footfall
Despite the challenging trekking route, Yamunotri Dham has recorded its highest-ever pilgrim turnout.
As of August 2, 2026, the shrine had welcomed 6,54,958 devotees, surpassing all previous years.
Pilgrim arrivals at Yamunotri:
- 2026: 6,54,958
- 2025: 6,44,637
- 2024: 5,15,067
- 2023: 5,60,918
- 2022: 6,21,504
- 2021: 33,331
Badrinath Yatra Records Over 3 Lakh Additional Pilgrims
The Badrinath Yatra completed its first 100 days on July 31.
During this period:
- 2026: 15,52,021 pilgrims
- 2025: 12,40,408 pilgrims
This represents an increase of 3,11,613 devotees over the same period last year.
Adi Kailash Dham Witnesses Record Growth After PM Modi’s Visit
Adi Kailash Dham in Pithoragarh district has witnessed unprecedented growth in pilgrim arrivals.
This year’s yatra began on May 1, and within just two months, 52,441 devotees visited the shrine before the pilgrimage was temporarily suspended on July 1 due to the monsoon.
The Chief Minister said pilgrim numbers have increased significantly following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit in 2023.
Annual pilgrim figures for Adi Kailash:
- Before 2022: Less than 2,000 annually
- 2023: 10,025
- 2024: 29,352
- 2025: 36,526
- 2026 (within two months): 52,441
Kainchi Dham Breaks All Previous Records
Kainchi Dham, the renowned ashram of Baba Neem Karoli Maharaj in Nainital district, also recorded its highest-ever pilgrim footfall.
Between January and June 2026:
- 24,34,507 devotees visited the shrine.
- June alone witnessed over 8.66 lakh devotees, making it the highest monthly footfall ever recorded at the temple.
Government Focuses on Sustainable Spiritual Tourism
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the steady increase in pilgrim arrivals reflects the success of the state’s efforts to improve religious infrastructure and promote spiritual tourism.
He said the government will continue investing in temple development, road connectivity, transport services and visitor facilities while expanding tourism circuits across Uttarakhand. The objective is to preserve the state’s rich spiritual heritage while establishing Uttarakhand as a globally recognised spiritual destination.
Read also: CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Pledges Stronger Efforts for Nasha Mukt Uttarakhand Under PM Modi’s Campaign
