As the Char Dham Yatra begins, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged pilgrims to maintain cleanliness, avoid plastic use, support local businesses, and follow rules. He also stressed environmental protection and responsible travel in the fragile Himalayan region

Continuous heavy snowfall has blanketed Kedarnath Dham and the entire Kedar Valley under three to four feet of snow, creating a mesmerising white landscape even as Uttarakhand Police and ITBP personnel maintain round-the-clock security in sub-zero temperatures