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Public Entry
Temple Closed
Public Entry
Carry only essentials. Mobile phones and large bags are restricted at several temples. Complete footwear storage before joining the queue.
Public queue available at all temples. Wait times vary.
Mandatory before temple entry
*Prices and timings are subject to change by the Temple Trust based on festivals and pilgrimage volume.
Yamunotri
Hot spring at 98Β°C β pilgrims cook rice here as prasad to carry home, a unique ritual.
Sacred rock outside the temple β mandatory puja here before entering the sanctum.
The actual source of the Yamuna river lies above the temple at Saptarishi Kund.
Gangotri
The rock where King Bhagirath meditated for Ganga's descent β central to the darshan ritual.
Evening aarti at the ghat with the roaring Bhagirathi river as backdrop β unmissable.
Source of the Bhagirathi river, 19 km from the temple β trekable for fit pilgrims.
Editor's Notes
VIP darshan exists only at Kedarnath and Badrinath β Yamunotri and Gangotri have no formal fast-track queue. At those two shrines, arriving at temple opening time (6:00 AM) is the only way to avoid long waits.
Mahabhishek at Badrinath (4:30 AM) and Rudrabhishek at Kedarnath both require advance booking via the BKTC portal. time_slots fill weeks ahead in May and October β book the moment your travel dates are confirmed.
Leather items β belts, wallets, leather shoes, leather jackets β are prohibited inside all four sanctum sanctorums, not just one. Most pilgrims are caught off guard at the first temple. Carry a cloth bag to leave leather items outside.
Hot spring at 98Β°C adjacent to the temple β the rice-cooking prasad ritual happens here. Worth time even after darshan.
Sacred rock just outside the temple where the mandatory pre-darshan puja is performed.
Glacial lake and true source of the Yamuna river β 6 km trek from the temple. Rarely visited, exceptionally beautiful.
Please respect local customs regarding photography in sensitive sacred areas.
Conservative clothing is recommended to honor the spiritual sanctity of the site.
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