The sacred portals of Shri Badrinath Dham, one of Hinduism’s holiest Char Dham shrines dedicated to Lord Vishnu as Badrinarayan, will open for devotees on April 23 at 6:15 am. The date was officially announced on Basant Panchami following meticulous Vedic almanac calculations and traditional rituals at the Gopinath Temple, the winter seat of Lord Rudranath Ji. Priests carried the Gadu Ghada to the Narendranagar royal court, upholding age-old customs to fix the opening in alignment with religious protocols.

Badrinath Dham, situated in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district amid the snow-capped Himalayas, houses a 3.3-foot-tall idol of Lord Badrinarayan carved from Shaligrama stone. Legend holds that Adi Shankaracharya recovered the idol from the Narad Kund and installed it in the 8th century. The temple’s chief priest, known as the Rawal, traditionally belongs to the Namboodiri Brahmin community from Kerala, reflecting the shrine’s deep cultural and historical ties.

This year’s opening follows the pattern of previous seasons, with the temple typically accessible from spring through autumn. Last year, the portals opened on May 4, 2025, and closed in November. The announcement also included the opening date for Shri Rudranath Ji, the fourth Kedar shrine, set for May 18 at 12:57 pm, marking the full commencement of the Char Dham pilgrimage season.

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Uttarakhand Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Satpal Maharaj welcomed the start of the yatra, describing it as the beginning of a profound spiritual journey for millions of devotees. He assured that the state government is actively preparing infrastructure, including road repairs, accommodation enhancements, and safety measures, to facilitate a smooth and secure pilgrimage to these high-altitude Himalayan shrines.

The Char Dham Yatra, encompassing Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath, attracts lakhs of pilgrims annually during the six-month summer season. After the pilgrimage concludes, the deities are traditionally shifted to their winter abodes until the next opening.

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