Introduction
The Char Dham Yatra is one of the famous Hindu pilgrimage circuit in Uttarakhand. Every year, millions of Indian pilgrims visit the four holy sites including Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.
The Char Dhams are considered to be a part of ancient Vedic Parikrama (circuit), and were highly revered in Hindu religion till 50 years ago when it lost popularity because of political instability in India during British Raj period.
Chardham Yatra is one of the famous Hindu pilgrimage circuit in Uttrakhand.
Chardham Yatra is one of the famous Hindu pilgrimage circuit in Uttrakhand.
It is also known as Char Dham Yatra. The four holy sites are Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.
The Chardham yatra starts from Badrinath (the most sacred place) to Kedarnath and then on to the other two holy places of Yamunotri and Gangotri before returning back to Badrinath by way of Tehri-Garhwal region where there are many beautiful peaks such as Nanda Devi etc.,
The Chardham Yatra
It is a major attraction for the Hindu community. It is believed that taking part in this pilgrimage will cleanse one’s sins and bring happiness and peace to their lives.
Every year, millions of Indian pilgrims visit the four holy sites including Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.
The Yamunotri
Yamunotri is the source of the Yamuna River. It is located in Uttarakhand’s Garhwal region at a height of 5200 m above sea level and is considered one of India’s most sacred places. The river originates from this lake and empties into the plains through several tributaries such as Alaknanda River (River Ganges) before reaching its final destination near Haridwar where it merges with other rivers such as Mandakini or Western Ganga or Brahmputra
Gangotri is a Hindu pilgrimage site in Uttarakhand, India
It is one of the four sites in India’s Garhwal region that are revered as Chota Char Dham, a collective name given to the four Hindu pilgrimage sites in the state of Uttarakhand. The other three sites are Badrinath, Kedarnath and Gangotri. It is located on the banks of the Bhagirathi River at an altitude of 3,133 m (10,256 ft) above sea level and is considered one of India’s most sacred places.
Gangotri is the source of the Bhagirathi River, which originates from a glacier known as Gaumukh (lit. “Cow’s Mouth”) at an altitude of 4,130 m above sea level. The river flows for about 320 km (200 mi) until it reaches Rishikesh where it joins the Alaknanda and becomes the Ganges.
The Char Dhams
These are considered to be a part of the ancient Vedic Parikrama (circuit), and were highly revered in Hindu religion. Every year, millions of Indian pilgrims visit the four holy sites including Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.
The four dhams are located in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand state. The Char Dham Yatra takes place every year from mid-April to November, and attracts thousands of pilgrims each year. During this period, all four sites remain open 24/7 to accommodate hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who visit them during this period.
Pilgrimage
The Char Dham Yatra is one of the most important religious pilgrimages in India. The journey starts with Yamunotri, the Goddess of water and the source of the holy river Yamuna; followed by Gangotri, which is where Lord Shiva meditated and revealed himself as Gangadhar; then Kedarnath, a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva; and finally Badrinath, a temple dedicated to Vishnu.
The pilgrimage is so named because the region is located in the Garhwal Himalayan range, with each of the shrines being located above 10,000 feet.
The pilgrimage is so named because the region is located in the Garhwal Himalayan range, with each of the shrines being located above 10,000 feet.
The four shrines are Kedarnath Temple in Rudraprayag District, Badrinath Temple in Chamoli district and Vishwanath Temple at Haridwar District.
There are 4 different shrines in Chardham.
There are four different shrines in Chardham. The first one is Yamunotri, which is the source of the Yamuna River and is considered to be one of the most sacred places on Earth. It’s also believed that Lord Shiva himself came from this place.
The second shrine is Gangotri, where Lord Shiva took birth as a child from Goddess Ganges’ lap after she swallowed him whole when he was being born as an infant (hence why we call it “Gangasati”).
The third shrine is Kedarnath where you can find an ice lake called Badrinath Mandir (temple). This temple has been built directly on top of Mount Kedarnath itself; hence its name “Badrinath”.
Conclusion
The Chardham Yatra is one of the most popular Hindu pilgrimages in Uttarakhand. The Char Dhams are considered to be a part of the ancient Vedic Parikrama (circuit), and were highly revered in Hindu religion.
The pilgrimage is so named because the region is located in the Garhwal Himalayan range, with each of the shrines being located above 10,000 feet. There are four different shrines in Chardham: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.
