Explained: Why children and elderly visitors are banned from Hemkund Sahib Yatra 2023

Come May 20, the doors of Hemkund Sahib Yatra will be open to all, except children and elderly people. This year, there’s been heavy snowfall in the region and Hemkund Sahib is, at present, covered in several feet of snow.
Young children, sick people and elders above the age of 60 are banned from making this pilgrimage this year. Not only this, the authorities are going to limit the number of pilgrims to Hemkund Sahib this year. This ban will be in place until further notice.

The district administration is also geared up for those who will be making the pilgrimage this year. Infrastructure like electricity, clean water, toilets, waste management and health facilities are all being arranged for the visitors. There will also be proper parking facilities, roads, roadside shelters and signages to aid pilgrims.

Hemkund Sahib is located in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand. The gurdwara of Hemkund Sahib is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for the Sikhs. It is believed that Hemkund Sahib is the place Guru Gobind Singh spent years in meditation.

Hemkund Sahib is open to visitors from May to October, and it is open to people of all faiths and anyone can visit the site. The pilgrimage to Hemkund Sahib is a challenging one as it requires some amount of tough trekking. Visitors have to trek a distance of approximately 13 km to reach the main gurudwara site.