PM Modi calls for school trips, winter weddings in Uttarakhand, says state should not have off-season

During the trip, Modi also visited the winter seat of Gangotri Dham in Mukhwa.

Modi said Uttarakhand provides opportunities for visitors to recharge and re-energise through yoga and Ayurveda. He also appealed to universities, private schools, and colleges to consider Uttarakhand for students’ winter trips. He urged people to consider the state also as a destination for winter weddings.

There has been a concerted effort by the government to open the state up for tourism throughout the year. Currently, Uttarakhand gets its major influx of tourists from April to November, largely attributable to the Char Dham pilgrimage. Modi pointed out that the number of tourists drops drastically afterwards, leaving most hotels, resorts, and homestays vacant in the winter and that this leads to economic stagnation for a large part of the year.

“The land of Uttarakhand, known as Devbhoomi, is imbued with spiritual energy and is blessed by the Char Dham and countless other sacred sites,” Modi said.

Visiting Kedarnath in 2022, the Prime Minister had said that this would be the “decade of Uttarakhand”.

“Winter tourism is a significant step in this direction, aiding in harnessing Uttarakhand’s economic potential,” he said.

“Visiting Uttarakhand during winter offers a true glimpse of the divine aura of Devbhoomi,” the PM said, pointing out that many sacred sites in the state host unique rituals during this time. “The religious ceremonies in Mukhwa village are an integral part of the region’s ancient and remarkable traditions.”

He said year-round tourism will “provide people with opportunities to connect with divine experiences and year-round employment opportunities, benefiting the local population and the youth”.

Listing out projects that the Centre and state governments are working on for the development of Uttarakhand, the PM mentioned the Char Dham highway, and the expansion of rail, airline, and helicopter services in the state. He also said the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Kedarnath ropeway project and the Hemkund ropeway project.

On the long-standing issue of migration out of hill villages, Modi said emptied-out villages like Jadung are being revamped.

“The number of tourists visiting Uttarakhand has increased significantly over the past decade. Before 2014, an average of 18 lakh pilgrims visited the Char Dham Yatra annually, which has now risen to 50 lakh pilgrims a year. This year’s Budget includes provisions to develop 50 tourist destinations, granting hotels at these locations the status of infrastructure,” he said.

As of March 2, the winter Char Dham shrines have been visited by 41,832 people this season. An official at the tourism department said they have been promoting destinations like Kartik Swami and less-frequented destinations like Harsil, where the PM visited Thursday.