Dharma, Artha, Kaam, and Moksha; these are the four main concepts in Hinduism. Wherein, Moksha is considered the ultimate goal which should be preceded by the other three life aspects. At attaining Moksha, a person gets free from the sadistic circle of life and death and unites with God.
Adi Shankaracharya, a great Hindu spiritual leader who is credited to re-establish the religion in the 8th century AD defined Char Dham Yatra. Four religious centers in the four directions; north (Badrinath), east (Puri), west (Dwarka) and south (Rameshwaram) are collectively called the Char Dham. A pilgrimage to all these Char Dham temples is believed to be a significant way of attaining Moksha.
In Uttarakhand, the pilgrimage sights of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath form a relatively shorter but imperative pilgrimage tour. In these four pilgrimages, Badrinath is dedicated to lord Vihnu, Kedarnath to dedicated to Lord Shiva, and Gangotri and Yamunotri are dedicated to Ganga and Yamuna rivers respectively.
Char Dham Yatra temples are nestled in exquisite and pleasant locations of Uttarakhand. The pious yatra begins from Yamunotri, followed by Gangotri and Kedarnath, and the Char Dham yatra Badrinath is the last and most important part of the pilgrimage. The Char Dham yatra route can be traveled in 11 to 12 days.
Here is everything you should know about the highly revered Char Dham pilgrimage:
Yamunotri
Yamunotri is the first of the four Char Dham Yatra sites to be covered. It’s the source of Yamuna River and regarded as the seat of Goddess Yamuna. Though the actual source of the holy river is situated atop the Bandar punch parvat, about 3293 meters above the sea level, but because it’s very hard to climb till there, the Yamunotri temple is nestled at the foothill where devotees offer prayers.
A 5 km trek starting from Janki Chatti takes pilgrims to the temple. Along with this sacred Char Dham site, visitors can also visit the following attractions:
Surya Kund: Surya Kund, the actual source of the River Yamuna, is a water spring dedicated to Sun. It’s known for its hot water spring at a temperature of 1900 F.
Divya Shila: Located next to Surya Kund, Divya Shila is a sacred rock pillar.
Hanuman Chatti: About 13 km from Yamunotri, Hanuman Chatti is confluence point of Yamuna and Hanuman Ganga River.
When to visit Yamunotri
The holy site opens on Akshaya Tritiya (towards the end of April or beginning of May) every year and can be visited till Diwali.
Gangotri
This sacred Char Dham Yatra site is located at an altitude of 3048 meters in the Garhwal Himalayan Range. Located 19 km away from Gaumukh, Gangotri is the source of Ganga River. This sacred site is known for its ancient temples. As per the Hindu Mythology, Goddess Ganga turned into a river when King Bhagirath meditated to please the Goddess to liberate the souls of his sons. Hence, up to Devprayag the River is called Bhagirathi.
Along with the Gangotri Temple, pilgrims can also visit the following sacred sites:
Submerger Shivling: As per the Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva received Goddess Ganga in his hair at this place.
Bhagirathi Shila: The rock near Gangotri Temple where King Bhagirath is called to have meditated on to bring Goddess Ganga on Earth.
Pandav Gufa: About 1.5 km trek from Gangotri takes tourists to Pandav Gufa, where the Pandavas stayed for some time on their way to Kailash.
Dodi Tal: A glistening lake at the height of 3204 m, Dodi tal is a great location for camping.
When to Visit Gangorti
The pilgrims can’t access the temple in winters as it closes down in that season due to heavy snowfall. The holy idle for that particular time is placed in Mukhyamath Temple located in Mukhya Village about 20 km from Gangotri Temple.
Kedarnath
One of the four Char Dham temples and an acclaimed Hindu pilgrimage, Kedarnath is situated in Uttarakhand. The site, also known as Chota Char Dham Pilgrimage, is situated at a high of 3,583 m on the shores of Mandakini River. The Kedarnath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and in among the twelve Jyotirlingas.
A 21 km climb on foot, horses or ponies from Sonprayag takes the devotees to this temple. Earlier, the climb used to commence from Gaurikund which was about 14 km away. The route was modified after an intense flood in 2013.
Pilgrims can also visit the following place in Kedarnath:
Vasuki Tal: Nestled at an altitude of 4235 m, Vasuki Tal boasts picturesque views of Chaukhamba peaks.
Shankaracharya Samadhi: The place where Sri Shankaracharya attained Nirvana.
Sonprayag: A hamlet on the confluence banks of Mandakini and Basuki River where many pilgrims bath in the holy waters.
Chandrashila: An year-round trekking and skiing spot (excluding December and January), Chandrashila also has a vintage temple of Lord Shiva
When to visit Kedarnath
Owing to extreme weather conditions the temple remains open for 6 months only. It opens in April and closes in the first or second week of November.
Badrinath
Badrinath is part of Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand (Chota Char Dham) as well as the original Char Dham Yatra (with Puri, Dwarka, and Rameshwaram). Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Char Dham yatra Badrinath is the most famous site among the four. The Badrinath Temple (also known as Badrinarayan Temple) is located in Garhwal Hill tracks in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand.
As per the Hindu Myths, Lord Vishnu meditated at this place. In the form of Badri tree, Goddess Lakshmi protected the lord from cold weather. Pleased lord then named this place Badrika Ashram. According to another legend, Nar and Narayan (the dual forms of Lord Vishnu) sat in meditation at this place called Badrinath.
The following places can be explored in nearby areas:
Vasundhara Falls: A very significant falls at Mana, about 4 km from Badrinath, is a place where Pandavas rested on their way to Kailash. The falls is also called to wash away the sins of visitors.
Tapt Kund: A natural hot water spring, Tapt Kund is called the home of Lord Agni.
Narad Kund: A holy Site where Sri Adi Sankaracharya found the idol of Lord Vishnu.
Neelkanth: In the Garhwal division of Himalayas, Neelakanth is located about 3,474 km above Badrinath.
When to visit Badrinath
The holy site is open for devotees for 6 months every year from the end of April to beginning of November.
Some notable tips:
- The Char Dham temples can be visited between Akshay Tritiya (also known as Akha Teej) in late April or early May to Bhai-dooj (two days after Diwali).
- To avoid the crowd and heavy rain you are advised to visit the Char Dham Places in early July and September.
- Since temperature may steep as low as zero degrees Celsius, carry woolen clothes.
- Despite some hard conditions, millions of pilgrims visit the pious sites every year. So don’t hold back if you have faith in God.
