Char Dham Yatra: A Journey That Will Take You On A Quest For Moksha

India is a country filled with Devis (Goddesses) along with Devis (Gods). The total is staggering 335 million and that's not even less! So, it is not surprising that the country is full of holy temples and shrines. Inscribed with the remnants from the vast Hindu legends, India has clusters of holy sites scattered across its vast borders. Of them is it is the Char Dham Yatra holds a prominent place.

What is The Char Dham Yatra?

Literally translated to the journey towards the four dwellings Char Dham Yatra literally translates to the pilgrimage of four abodes. Char Dham Yatra refers to the four holy pilgrimage destinations in India which are viz. Badrinath (Uttarakhand in the North), Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu in the South), Puri (Odisha in the East) and Dwarka (Gujarat in the West). But, they are frequently misunderstood as the four sacred places of Uttarakhand which is the Devbhoomi. These Char Dhams are Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri and Gangotri They are, in reality, an integral part of the circuit with four seats, also known as Chhota Char Dham Yatra.

The Char Dhams Original

According to one of the Indian philosophical philosopher, Adi Shankaracharya the first Char Dham comprised of Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameshwaram comprises three Vaishnavite (belonging to the god Lord Vishnu) as well as one Shaivite (belonging to Lord Shiva) religious pilgrimages.

1. Badrinath

The Garhwal hills in the current North Indian state of Uttarakhand Badrinath is a town. Badrinath is situated along the shores of the Alaknanda River, between the Nar & Narayana mountain ranges. The most important god here is Lord Vishnu who is worshipped in the form of Badrinarayan.

2. Rameshwaram

It is located on The Gulf of Mannar in the present-day Tamil Nadu in South India, Rameshwaram is said to be the location from which Lord Rama constructed Rama Setu Bridge. Rama Setu Bridge that connects India and Sri Lanka. But Rameshwaram is not the only place to visit. Ramanathaswamy temple located in Rameshwaram was dedicated to Lord Shiva and is and is worshipped in the form of an linga belonging to the Sri Ramanatha Swamy. The linga is believed constitute one of twelve Jyotirlingas (Radiant manifestations that represent the Lord Shiva).

3. Puri

It is located in present-day Odisha, Puri is one of the cities that dates back to East India. The most important deity of the Vaishnavite holy place is Lord Krishna and is which is worshipped by the name of Lord Jagannatha. It is the only Indian temple in which goddess Subhadra, the one of the sisters of Lord Krishna is worshipped with her brothers Lord Jagannatha and Lord Balabhadra.

4. Dwarka

In the present-day Gujarat part of West India, the legendary Dwarka city is believed to be the home city for Lord Krishna. It is believed to have been submerged six times and was devastated by the sea. Present day Dwarka is believed to be the seventh city constructed in this region. The most important god here can be identified as Lord Krishna.

Hari and Har: Har's Eternal Friends

According to the Hindu Puranas, Hari (Vishnu) and Har (Shiva) are believed to be forever friends. It is believed that wherever Lord Vishnu lives, Lord Shiva doesn't reside too far away from the area. So the Char Dhams have their towns that are similar to them. The Vaishnav locations located in Badrinath, Rangnath Swamy, Dwarka and Jagannath Puri have the Shiva temples that include Kedarnath, Rameshwaram, Somnath and Lingarajagupteshwar near.

The Circuit of Chhota Char Dham

The idea of Chhota Char Dham Yatra was popularized following the Indo-China conflict of 1962 when India was investing heavily in road and infrastructure projects. The improved roads in the region helped make it easier to get to the holy shrines as well as other locations of Uttarakhand which was then Uttar Pradesh. In the meantime, Chhota Char Dham slowly began to replace the old Char Dham.

In contrast to the first Char Dham that took over an entire month to cover Chhota Char Dham was able to be covered in a matter of days. Chhota Char Dham could be covered in just two weeks. The price difference between the two was huge. More people are now able to simply go on the pilgrimage. Pilgrims can travel by jeeps and buses to the nearest places of the four shrines within 10 to 15 km of the nearest motorable location.

1. Yamunotri Dham Yatra

Yamunotri is the place of worship of Goddess Yamuna serves as the main source for Yamunotri, the seat of Goddess Yamuna. It is also where Yamuna River. Its actual glacier and source are situated at an elevation of 4421 meters above sea level, which is about 1 km up. It is however difficult to access. This is the reason why the shrine is located in it's Yamunotri Temple at the foot of the hill. Pilgrims pray inside the temple.

The Legend Based on a popular myth, the Sage Asit Muni, who lived in his own hermitage in this area and bathed every day with each of Ganga as well as Yamuna. As a result of his advanced age, he was unable to not go to Gangotri the stream from the River Ganga appeared opposite Yamunotri for him to soak.

Locations to visit:

Yamunotri Temple: The temple is situated on the Garhwal hills, at an altitude of 3291m above sea level The temple was constructed during the late 19th century, by Maharani Gularia who was from Jaipur. The goddess Yamuna is represented by an idol made of silver.

Hours of operation:6 am - 8 pm 1st week in May to Diwali The time for the Aarti is 6:30 pm until 7:15 pm

Saptrishi Kund: The glacier is actually the source of the Yamuna River and is located at 4421m above sea level. The long and strenuous trek up to Saptrishi Kund involves a day to acclimatize in the temple.

Surya Kund: It is among the many thermal springs that are found in the region. The goddess Yamuna has been believed to be the mother of Surya (the Sun god) and Sangya.

Divya Shila The pillar is strong rock pillar that is located near the Surya Kund at Yamunotri. As a form of ritual, pilgrims pray to the pillar prior to entering Yamunotri.

The seat of Goddess Yamuna

Altitude: 3291 meters

District: Uttarkashi

State: Uttarakhand

2. Gangotri Dham Yatra

Gangotri is the place of Goddess Ganga is visited with millions of visitors every year. This Gangotri Dham is set 19 kilometers away from Gaumukh - - the location where Ganga River originates. From Gaumukh within the Gangotri Glacier, the river flows through Bhagirathi all the way to Devprayag. It then joins Alakananda to form Ganga as we recognize it.

The legend: According to the Hindu mythology Goddess Ganga assumed the form of the river in order to cleanse the ashes and release the souls of the King's predecessors as Bhagiratha was meditating to please the goddess. To lessen the impact of her fall to the ground, Lord Shiva put her in his shaved locks. As she fell the goddess began to be called Bhagirathi.

Another legend speaks of Ganga as a beautiful woman who was born from the kamandalu of Lord Brahma (water vessel). It is believed the Lord Brahma washed the feet of Lord Vishnu after he killed his demon Bali in his reincarnation as Vaman. Lord Brahma later, gathered the water and put it in his kamandalu. Then, Goddess Ganga emerged from it.

Sites to go to:

Gangotri Temple: The temple was constructed around the end of the 1800s by Gorkha general Amar Singh Thapa The temple is the home of the temple of Gangotri.

Hours of operation: 6:30 am - 2 pm 3 pm - 9:30 pm 1st week of May to Diwali

Aarti Duration: 3.00 PM to 9.30 PM

Bhagirath Shila The rock is thought to represent the sacred rock in which King Bhagirath was believed to have prayed at Lord Shiva.

Submerged Shivling It is said that this Shivalingam is submerged within the waters of the River Bhagirathi at Gangotri. According to Hindu legend, it was there that Lord Shiva was seated to receive Goddess Ganga with his locks.

Pandava Gufa: A 1.5 km hike from Gangotri leads you to Pandava Gufa where the Pandavas are believed to have sat and rested during the trek to Kailash.

The seat of Goddess Ganga

Altitude: 3048 meters

District: Uttarkashi

State: Uttarakhand

3. Kedarnath Dham Yatra

It is situated near the source at the head of River Mandakini in the Himalayas, Kedarnath is flanked by amazing snow-covered mountains. The city's name is derived from the king Kedar who was the ruler of the time of Satya Yuga. The King of the saints has been believed to rule the seven continents. His daughter, Vrinda has been believed to be an partial representation of the goddess Laxmi.

Legends: According to a popular myth, Nar & Narayana (two manifestations from Lord Vishnu) were prayed to before the Shivalingam within Badrikashraya in Bharat Khand. They were so impressed by their devotion that the Lord Shiva offered them a blessing. They pleaded with Shiva to accept the position of an Jyotirlinga at Kedarnath so that they could free the worshippers for Lord Shiva from their plights.

Locations to visit:

Kedarnath Temple: The temple was constructed around the time of 8th century by Hindu scholar Adi Shankaracharya The Kedarnath Temple is known to be situated within the same area as the temple that was built during the Pandavas. The conical rock structure inside the temple is revered by devotees as Sadashiva which is a representation god of Shiva.

Hours of operation: 6:30 am - 3 pm 5 pm - 9:30 pm; May to October

Aarti The time: 5.00 PM to 9.30 PM

Gandhi Sarovar: The lake is believed by many to be the spot from which Yudhishthir, the Pandava with the highest IQ left for heaven.

Shankaracharya Samadhi It is located close to Kedarnath Temple. Kedarnath Temple, the place is believed to be the location in which Adi Shankaracharya took Samadhi.

Bhairon Temple It is located 1km away from Kedarnath Temple. Kedarnath Temple, the Bhairon Temple is believed to be home to the guardian for Kedarnath Valley. Kedarnath Temple and valley.

The seat of Lord Shiva

Altitude: 3553 meters

District Rudraprayag

State: Uttarakhand

4. Badrinath Dham Yatra

The principal deity in this temple is Lord Vishnu who is worshipped in the Badrinarayan aspect. It is the only Dham is also the sole one to be included in both the Char Dham that was originally Char Dham as well as it's Chhota Char Dham circuits.

Legends: According to the Hindu epic Mahabharata, Badrinath is the location where Nar and Narayana which are the dual form of Lord Vishnu were able to sit and meditate. The town of Badrinath has also been described as a place which the Pandavas traversed on their way to toward heaven. Another mythical legend states that Sage Vyasa composed Mahabharata in a cave at Mana which is located approximately 4 kilometers from Badrinath.

Sites to go to:

Badrinath Temple: The tale goes back to the times of Shankaracharya, who found an image of a black Saligram on stone from Lord Vishnu in the form of Lord Badrinarayan. The image was enshrined in a cave close to Tapt Kund hot springs. The 16th century was the time when the King of Garhwal relocated the stone idol to the temple of today.

Open hours: 4:30 am - 1 pm 4 pm - 9 pm; May through October

Aarti The time: 10.30 AM to 11.00 AM

Neelkanth: The Garhwal Queen is a snowy peak which creates a pyramid-like backdrop to Badrinath Temple. The mountain, at 6597m above sea level is the first spot to get sunlight within the region.

Tapt Kund A home for Lord Agni, Tapt Kund is one of the hot springs that is well-known for its healing properties. Surya Kund as well as Narada Kund can also be found within the vicinity.

Vasudhara Falls: The high, 400-foot waterfalls are situated 4km of Badrinath within the Mana Village. The belief is that the waters of the waterfalls will be able to turn away to those who aren't pure at heart.

The seat of Lord Vishnu

Altitude: 3133 meters

District Chamoli

State: Uttarakhand

The Mata Murli Temple Yogadhyan Badri, Alka Puri, Bheem Pal, Sheshnetra, Brahma Kapal, and Satopanth are other attractions nearby.

What are the benefits of Char Dham Yatra?

The peaks of the Himalayas located in Uttarakhand, Char Dhams are the four holy sites of Hindu pilgrimage. The four locations that constitute the Hindu pilgrimage are Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Each of these four sites is sacred to the Hindu faith. They believe that anyone who is able to visit these sacred sites every once in their lives, receives salvation, or Moksha.

When is the Best Time to Go for Char Dham Yatra? Char Dham Yatra?

It is believed that the Char Dham Yatra opens on the day of Akha Trij or Akha Teej (in the month of May) and is closed for winter on the day of Bhai-Bij (2 days following Diwali). To avoid the heavy crowds of the first week of May and June, and to avoid obstructions due to the heavy rain in late July and August, it's best to go on this Char Dham Yatra in early July and into September.

How difficult is the Char Dham Yatra?

Variable climate, bad road conditions, as well as frequent slips and landslides, make the trek extremely strenuous and challenging. Temperatures can drop in the range of 1 degree C at nighttime in Kedarnath and can rise up to 40degrees C within a couple of hours. This means that you'll have to bring thick woolens to withstand the cold temperatures , as in addition to light clothes to keep cool in hot places.

Notice: At some of the most elevated points, low oxygen levels can create breathing problems.

Yet, regardless of the hardships and difficulties of the long and tiring journey thousands of pilgrims throng into and embark on this Char Dham Yatra annually. If you've got faith in gods and goddesses and would like to pray for them in their homes then it's time to embark on the Char Dham Yatra.

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