Mussoorie, Oct. 11 -- The Kedarnath Yatra has set a new record this season, with pilgrim arrivals crossing 16.56 lakh (1.65 million), surpassing last year's tally of 16.52 lakh (1.62 million). The record has been broken even as nearly two weeks remain before the shrine closes for the winter on October 23, Bhaiya Dooj. On Wednesday alone, 5,614 devotees braved the chill to offer prayers at the Himalayan shrine, reflecting the enduring faith and resilience of pilgrims despite inclement weather. The surge is not limited to Kedarnath. The other shrines of the Char Dham, including Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, besides Hemkund Sahib, have also witnessed an impressive rise in numbers. Badrinath Dham has recorded an average of 14,827 daily visitors, with 5,042 devotees arriving on Wednesday. Gangotri saw 6,217 pilgrims, Yamunotri 2,360, and Hemkund Sahib 498, taking the total footfall for the day across shrines to 19,731. Overall, the Char Dham Yatra has so far drawn 47.49 lakh pilgrims this year. Organisers and priests attribute the numbers to unshaken devotion. Anand Shukla, a member of the Kedar Sabha, the temple priest community, said the enthusiasm of devotees has remained high despite recent spells of rain and snowfall. "The pilgrims have kept their faith strong, and the flow of visitors has not slowed down. We expect the same spirit to continue until the portals are closed on October 23," Shukla said. The enthusiasm is particularly striking given the difficult conditions on the Kedarnath route. Over the past two days, the region witnessed light snowfall, which led to a sharp dip in temperature. To help devotees cope, district authorities arranged firewood at halting points along the Kedarnath trek. Vireshwar Tomar, district information officer, Rudraprayag, said that disaster management teams have been deployed on the route. "Security personnel are on duty along the Yatra routes to ensure smooth movement. JCB machines have been stationed at landslide-prone areas to clear debris quickly if required. Our priority is the safety and comfort of pilgrims during the last stretch of the Yatra season," he said. The Char Dham Yatra began this year on April 30 with the opening of the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines, followed by Kedarnath on May 2 and Badrinath on May 4. However, the pilgrimage faced significant hurdles during the monsoon months....