Religion has a lot of importance in India. And among the Hindus, Char Dham Yatra has a major importance. Char Dham Yatra and Its importance in Hindu religion is huge. Located in Uttarakhand, Char Dham is a pilgrimage circuit that offers spiritual vibes to the Hindus. Pilgrims from all across the country come here to give their deepest respect to the lord. This is the land where there is a sacred environment and various temples that surround the yatra.
Char Dham – a teerath yatra
According to Hindu beliefs, Char Dham yatra is a ‘teerath yatra’ that happens in Uttarakhand. These deities include Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. These are holy places are located in various districts of Uttarakhand,
Char Dham Yatra visitors
Char Dham Yatra is considered pious to visit here if a Hindu wants to get salvation in the human life. Two lakh visitors visit the temples on the way to the four major temples.
Char Dham Yatra and its Meaning
According to Hindu mythology, it is believed that the famous Hindu philosopher, Shri Adi Shankaracharya coined the term ‘Char Dham’. The meaning of which is the abode of four deities. The three greatest Hindu gods are said to live here in the high Himalayan mountains. All important shrines are popular religious temples and breathtaking views of the snow-covered mountains and the natural beauty at its best.
Char Dham Yatra – a salvation journey
Char Dham helps a person to get salvation and wash off their sins. The shrines have their religious significance and it is a pious journey according to the beliefs of Hinduism. Believing and practicing this mythology, Shri Adi Shankaracharya attained independence from the process of rebirth in the Shri Badrinath Dham.
Char Dham Yatra and its origin
Generally, the Char Dham Yatra starts from Yamunotri. You can then visit Gangotri and later Shri Kedarnath Dham It then gets complete at Shri Badrinath Dham. Pilgrims who finish their Char Dham Yatra get immense pleasure and attain serenity and peace in their mind as well as soul.
Yamunotri Dham
Yamnotri is the source of the sacred river Yamuna and Char dham yatra begins here. According to Hindu mythology, Yamuna was the sister of Yamraj. Yamraj made a promise to his sister Yamuna that anyone who took a dip in the Yamuna River would never go to Yamlok and this is how he offered salvation to them.
Located at an altitude of 3164 mts from sea level, Yamnotri Dham is a holy place among pilgrims of Hindu origin and the shrine is dedicated to Goddess Yamuna. The Yamnotri Dham is one of the very famous ones in Garhwal.
The main religious places popular among the pilgrims include the temple of Goddess Yamuna and the Janki Chatti’s sacred thermal springs. There are various thermal springs located here that are dedicated to Hindu Goddess ‘Shakti’.
Gangotri Dham
Gangotri Dham is a famous one among the Char Dham and it is known for the Gomukh, which is the starting point of the Holy River Ganges. According to the various mythologies, it is believed that King Bhagirath meditated at that spot, and after his dedication and meditation, Ganga came to the earth. There is a stone on which Bhagirath meditated and that stone is placed near the temple. The place is open from April till Kartik Poornima.
Shri Badrinath Dham
Badrinath is located at 3,133 meters, on the banks of the Alaknanda River, this popular Dham is devoted to the Indian God, Vishnu. He is one of the gods in the trinity of Hindu gods like Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. There is a sacred temple here in the shrine which is known as Vishal Badri.
Shri Kedarnath Dham
One amazing thing about Kedarnath Dham is that it is also one of the 12 jyotirlingas in India. Shri Kedarnath Dham is situated at an elevation of 3,583 meters in the higher elevations of the Himalayas. This temple is also one of the Panch Kedars situated in Uttarakhand. Kedarnath Temple is considered to be the holiest Hindu temple in India.
It is said that Pandavas built the original temple to pray to Lord Shiva. The main hall of Kedarnath Temple has images of the Pandava brothers along with Draupadi, Nandi, Shiva, Parvati, and other deities. Adi Shankaracharya is believed to have attained Mahasamadhi here at Kedarnath Temple.
Best Time to Visit Char Dham
Devotees from all over India visit the Char Dham yatra temples. However you should visit Char Dham during May to October, which is also the peak tourist season. This Yatra does not take place during the monsoon and winter season.
Conclusion
If you also have the desire to go for Char Dham Yatra today then this is your golden chance. You cannot underestimate Char Dham Yatra and Its importance in Hindu religion. If you are visiting these four temples in Uttarakhand, you can also view the untouched natural beauty of Uttarakhand. You will enjoy the treks and have a special darshan at the temples with the help of your tour agency. Uttarakhand is waiting for you and what more reason than Char Dham Yatra?
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