Chota Char Dham - Chardham of Uttarakhand

The holy Chardhams of Uttarakhand pull pilgrims, sages, and mystics from every nook and corner of the country. If you are a devout God seeker and wish to get respite from the burden of mortal sins, from the delusions and illusions of life, then visiting Chardhams would indeed be a great spiritual solution to your troubled mind. The Uttarakhand Chardhams consist of the four sacred abodes of God, namely Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath.

The Chardham yatra of Uttarakhand is also referred to as Chota Chardham yatra as it aptly replicates the yatra to the greater All-India Chardham circuit consisting of four mighty Dhams in the four different corners of the country. Adi Guru Shankaracharya formulated the concept of Chardham yatra and declared it as the chief giver of Moksha or salvation. According to common spiritual and philosophical consensus, the yatra to Uttarakhand Chardhams falls no less in spiritual gravity when compared to the All-India Chardham yatra. Every year thousands of pilgrims flock to the holy Chardhams during the yatra season. The path is perilous and rugged and the weather is quite unpredictable high up on the Himalayas. Thus, before one sets out for the Uttarakhand Chardham Yatra, it is always a wise decision to go through the Chardham Yatra Travel Guide thoroughly enough. To know more about the Chardhams of Uttarakhand.

The yatra to the Uttarakhand Chardhams begins with a visit to the Yamunotri Dham followed by the Gangotri Dham, the next Kedarnath Dham, and finally the Badrinath Dham. With a visit to the fourth and last of Chardhams-Badrinath, your Chardham yatra is completed.

Yamunotri Dham

Yamunotri Dham is located in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district. The revered dham is perched on the Western part of the Garhwal Himalayas at an elevation of about 3293 meters above sea level. There’s a temple at Yamunotri which is considered an abode of Goddess Yamuna, the benevolent Mother of all creations. The temple enshrines an idol of Goddess Yamuna, sculpted out of black marvel. The temple lies in proximity to the geographical source of Yamuna River falling at an elevation of nearly 4421 meters above sea level. Jaipur queen, Maharani Gularia took the initiative to construct the present temple at Yamunotri. Yatra to Yamunotri dham commences on the day of Akshaya Tritiya in May and closes in November after the Diwali celebrations.

Gangotri Dham

Gangotri dham belongs to Goddess Ganga, the river that nourishes and nurtures the teeming millions. Gangotri Dham is also considered the source of the holy river Ganges. The Dham is located in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district and at an elevation of nearly 3415 meters above sea level. The original geographical source of River Ganga is the Gaumukh glacier lying nearly 19kms upstream. The present Gangotri temple was constructed under the initiative of Amar Singh Thapa, a renowned Gorkha commander.

Kedarnath Dham

Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district is an auspicious Dham belonging to Lord Shiva. The temple is cradled at an elevation of nearly 3584 meters above sea level and dates back to as far as the 8^th century. It is one among the 12 revered Shiv Jyotirlingas treasured by our country. Lord Shiva is present in the temple as a pyramidal rock structure and is posed in his Sada Shiva form. Adi Guru Shankaracharya is known to have set up this extremely holy Shiva temple.

Badrinath Dham

Badrinath Dham is an abode of Badrinarayan or Lord Vishnu who is enshrined in the temple of Badrinath as a black stone idol posed in padmasana. Badrinath Dham is one among the 108 venerated Divya Deshams of Vaishnavites and also one of the Dhams of the India Chardham circuit. The Dham is located in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, some 3133 meters above sea level. According to common beliefs, Adi guru Shankaracharya attained his moksha at Badrinath Dham.

The ideal time to embark on the Uttarakhand Chardham yatra is between the months of April-June and September-October. So get ready; plan a travel this summer season.

Author:

Devendra Singh is a traveler & online marketing expert who loves traveling, rafting, mountaineering, and making new friends. Currently working with a leading travel company offering several types of Pilgrimage Tours in India and adventure tours.