Devotees turned out in massive numbers across the prominent religious shrines of Himachal Pradesh during the Navratri festival, with a total of 10,25,726 worshippers visiting the seven major shaktipeeths and temples in the state. Official records during the nine-day celebration also noted the movement of 1,04,520 vehicles, highlighting the scale of pilgrim travel into the hill region. Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed appreciation and congratulated the state police force for establishing secure, peaceful, and streamlined darshan arrangements for everyone who arrived during the festival held from October 11 to October 19, 2026.
Footfall Breakdown Across Major Temples
Among all the destinations, Shri Naina Devi Ji temple witnessed the highest footfall, drawing a massive count of 3,95,226 devotees over the course of the festival. Other major shrines also experienced heavy visitor numbers as Shri Jwalamukhi Ji welcomed 1,80,000 worshippers, and Shri Chintpurni Ji recorded 1,39,000 visitors. Meanwhile, Shri Bala Sundari Ji Trilokpur saw 1,06,600 people arriving to offer prayers. The remaining shrines included Shri Chamunda Devi Ji with 70,500 devotees, Shri Bajreshwari Devi Ji with 69,400, and Shri Baglamukhi Ji temple which hosted 65,000 visitors during the celebrations.
Tackling Hilly Terrain and Crowd Management Challenges
Managing the massive influx of pilgrims presented a considerable challenge given the narrow approach roads and limited parking spaces characteristic of temples located in high-altitude terrain. To address these hurdles, the Himachal Pradesh police formulated extensive arrangements covering crowd control, traffic flow regulation, systematic parking, queue management, and general public safety. These proactive measures ensured that worshippers could complete their pilgrimage in a peaceful manner without facing unnecessary disruptions or congestion along the routes.
Inter-Agency Coordination and Government Praise
The Chief Minister commended the dedication, duty-bound nature, and professional competence demonstrated by the police personnel throughout the festival period. He emphasized that safeguarding the millions of pilgrims visiting the sacred sites of Himachal Pradesh remains a primary responsibility of the state administration. The successful execution of the event was credited to the strong coordination and collective efforts shared between the police, district administration, temple trusts, home guards, and other relevant stakeholder agencies.
Community Support and Emergency Helpline Guidance
Gratitude was also extended toward the temple management committees, local residents, and volunteers whose cooperative spirit aided the massive operations on the ground. Additionally, authorities urged citizens and visiting tourists to make full use of the round-the-clock emergency helpline ERSS-112 whenever they require immediate assistance from the police, fire department, or medical ambulances.
DGP Acknowledges Force Commitment
Director General of Police Ashok Tiwari expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for acknowledging the efforts of the force, noting that such recognition serves as a powerful motivator for personnel to perform their duties with greater sensitivity and efficiency. The DGP extended praise to the superintendents of police, supervisory officers, and all field personnel deployed across the respective districts during the festivities, reaffirming that the state police remain fully committed to protecting every visitor and pilgrim in Himachal Pradesh.
