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Guide to Chardham Yatra | What is Chardham Yatra
What is Chardham of Uttarakhand?
Chardham is basically a set of 4 most important pilgrimage sites in India, namely- Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri. Each dedicated to a different supreme deity in India, and a visit to these 4 sacred Dhams is called Chardham Yatra.
Making it a true adventure, the trek to these 4 Dhams is sure to give you plenty of adrenaline with the nonstop chanting of the devotees and the unshakable mindset it truly becomes one of the best adventure journey you can hop on. More on our Chardham tour packages .
Why Chardham is important?
Now you must be wondering why Chardham is so important that every year millions of people visit it to just get the glimpse of the divine shrines.
Well, according to Hinduism it is said that to get free from the cycle of birth and death or to achieve salvation/Moksha, it is important that one should visit these 4 shrines once in their lifetime.
These 4 divine temples hold an immense significance in Hinduism making it the important pilgrimage sites in India. These divine shrines are located high up in the Himalayas, and to take Darshan to these holy shrines you have to perform a trek starting from the base camp of each shrine to the main temple.
Yamunotri – Abode of Goddess Yamuna
Yamunotri is one of the 4 holy shrines in India, dedicated to the Goddess Yamuna. Situated at a height of 3,293 meters above the sea level this shrine is the first destination to the 4 Dham. To reach the divine temple of Yamunotri devotees must do a trek of 6 km from the base camp of Jankichatti.
The trek can either be performed by foot or by the services like mule, horses, and carriers. The difficulty level of Yamunotri trek is moderate.
Some of the other attractions at Yamunotri are Tapta Kund, Surya Kund, Divya Shila, and Draupadi Kund.
Gangotri – Abode of Goddess Ganga
Gangotri Dham is the origin of the holy river Ganges, the temple is solely dedicated to Goddess Ganga. Situated at a height of 3,415 meters between the elevated Garhwal Himalayan peaks, the trek to Gangotri is the easiest to reach.
It is said that it was the legendary king Bhagiratha that brought Ganga from the heaven to earth to uplift his ancestors curse given by Sage Kapila. After years of atonement and praying to Brahma-the almighty, Bhagirath finally got his reward.
The celestial river Ganga whose force was enough to shatter the earth, the supreme deity Shiva came in and held the Ganga on his head making a gentle flow down to the Himalayas. This is the legend of Ganga according to Hinduism.
Kedarnath – Abode of Lord Shiva
Kedarnath is one of the most sacred pilgrimage site in India along with the 12 Jyotirlingas Kedarnath is considered as the holiest temple in India. The temple is dedicated to the supreme Lord Shiva, the protector and the destroyer. It is located on the Garhwal Himalayan range, the trek to Kedarnath starts from the base camp Gaurikund.
And due to heavy snowfall during the winter season, the temple remains open only for six months and the best time to visit Kedarnath is between April to June. Kedarnath along with Badrinath can be traveled as the Do Dham Yatra.
The trek to Kedarnath is filled with stunning views of the snow-capped mountain peaks and adrenaline, with the thousands of devotees chanting their way up, it is truly one of a kind experience. Remember it’s not always about the destination, sometimes it’s about the journey.
Badrinath – Abode of Lord Vishnu
Known for its sacred temple dedicated to the supreme deity Lord Vishnu, it is the last destination of the Chardham Yatra. It is nestled in the chamoli district of Uttarakhand making the trek to Badrinath a trek full of stunning and picturesque views with enticing valleys.
Due to the heavy rainfall the temple of Badrinath remains close for 6 months, it then reopens on Akshaya Tritiya every year in April. The best time to visit Badrinath is between April to October.
Along with these 4 holy shrines in India, there are several towns and cities that one can cover during their Chardham tour. Some of the places you can cover along with these 4 holy shrines to make you Chardham more adventurous and spiritual are-
- Haridwar
- Barkot
- Guptkashi
- Uttarkashi
- Joshimath
Haridwar
Haridwar is one of the seven holy cities in Hinduism, built around the holy river Ganges. Everyday thousands of devotees immerse themselves in the holy water in order to achieve moksha or liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Haridwar meaning the ‘gates of Gods’ is a city of ancient culture and traditions.
It offers numerous temples and spiritual significance for one if they wish to travel to this location. Haridwar is also one of the places which helds, the massive Kumbh Mela in every 12 years.
Barkot
Located on the banks of the holy river Yamuna, Barkot is one of the beautiful places to visit in Uttarakhand offering stunning views and numerous trekking options, it is covered with the 4 holy Shrines, due to its charming beauty.
Guptkashi
Guptkashi is famous for being a spiritual center in India, it is often traveled along with the 4 dhams due to its close proximity with one of the holy shrines, Kedarnath.
Guptkashi has so many legends associated with it like, some people consider it the place where Lord Ganesha broke his tusk, and is it also the gateway to the celestial peak, Mount Kailash.
Guptkashi also offers the ancient Vishwanath Temple, one can also see the magnificent valleys, which makes it one of the beautiful places to visit in India.
Uttarkashi
Another beautiful location covered with Chardham Yatra, Uttarkashi is one of the beautiful places to visit in India. With its serene environment, captivating views and several holy temples it has become one of the best pilgrimage sites in India.
If one visit Uttarkashi, there are several temples dedicated to the Almighty Hanuman, Goddess Durga, Parshuram, Bhairav, etc. One can also enjoy the lush greenery and hot springs in Uttarkashi.
Joshimath
Famous for being the gateway to several trekking expeditions and pilgrimage centers, Joshimath is renowned for being the gateway to one of the holy shrines, Badrinath.
The legend associated with Joshimath says that it is one of the four math that was established by the Adi Guru Shankaracharya. Joshimath also offers several holy temples that one can visit and get the blessing of the divine.
