The Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and Urban Development minister Madan Kaushik flagged off the sacred ‘ Chhadi Yatra’ from Maya Devi temple in Haridwar on Monday. Starting from the Juna Akhada, the Yatra would reach to the Char Dhams.

Speaking on the occasion, the CM said that the Chhadi Yatra would give a fillip to the religious tourism in the state. Assuring full cooperation of the state government for the Yatra, he said that from next year, the Yatra would be held in a more organised manner. The CM expressed hope the Yatra would help in promoting communal harmony and the aspirations of the people of the state would get fulfilled by the Yatra. The CM performed a Puja at the temple before the Yatra started.

Speaking on the occasion, the national general secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, Mahant Hari Giri said that starting from Juna Akhara, the sacred Chhadi would travel to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. From Badrinath, the Chhadi would be taken to many pilgrim centres of Kumaon region before returning back to Juna Akhara of Haridwar. He said that, for the first time the sacred Chhadi would be taken to the Char Dhams from Haridwar. Earlier the Chhadi Yatra used to commence from Bageshwar of Kumaon to the Char Dhams and from last many years the Yatra was not taking place.   Giri said that the change in the route of the Yatra has been done in view of the Kumbh in Haridwar in the year 2021.  The head of the Panch Dashnam Juna Akhara, Mahant Prem Giri said that the sacred Chhadi was taken to the Atma Prakash Akhara at Maya Kund in Rishikesh for night stay on first day. From Rishikesh the Yatra would head towards Yamunotri. He said that the Yatra has been started on the lines of Amarnath Yatra and the saints of Haridwar have welcomed it.

The national president of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, Mahant Narendra Giri has praised the chief minister of Uttarakhand Trivendra Singh Rawat for taking initiative to restart the Chhadi Yatra. 

The Garhwal Commissioner Ravinath Raman, Secretary Urban development Shailesh Bagoli, district magistrate of Haridwar, Deependra Chaudhary, Mela officer Deepak Rawat, Mela Inspector General (IG) Sanjay Gunjyal and other officers and saints were present on the occasion.