Char Dham Yatra

In Hinduism it is considered if you have arranged a chardham yatra for your elders yours all sins have been washed away and you are also come out of this cycle of birth and death. Now what are these char dhams? According to Hindu scriptures, if believed, the Gangotri, the Yamunotri, the Badrinath and the Kedarnath are called as char dham and are considered as the most sacred of all pilgrimages. It is also said that heaven and earth are converge on these holy spots. It is also said that Char dhams must be visited from left to right ie beginning with Yamunotri to Gangotri, Kedarnath and ended the yatra with Badrinathji. By this route Hindus follow the tradition of parikarma or clockwise circumambulation.

Char dham yatra is very tough and difficult. This yatra is in the most adventurous and hill areas of Garhwal range of Himalayas. Despite this every Indian has a dream to cover these holy spots once in his life. This yatra is turned out to be a tiresome and tedious if performed without preparation. This yatra generally begins in May and ends in October every year. But it is best to go in September, a month which offers the best season after the rains, providing the most beautiful view of nature. In this range of Garhwal hills of Himalayas, nature looks as it has taken a bath in the recent past and looks fresh always.

The shrine of Yamunotri, at a height of 3,235 m, is the source of the Yamuna River. The current temple is of recent origin, as past iterations have been destroyed by the weather and elements. There is also a divya shila which is worshiped before entering this temple.

Eighteen kilometers downstream from Gaumukh is Gangotri. It is an important pilgrim site located at 3,048 m above sea level, the source of the Ganga (Ganges) River. There is a temple dedicated to Goddess Ganga and the sacred stone where Raja Bhagirath is believed to have worshiped Lord Shiva.

Kedarnath, at a height of 3,581 m, is the site where a form of the Hindu god Shiva is venerated as one of the twelve jyotirling (linga of light), is a two-day's journey from either Gangotri or one of the main disembarkation points on the plains. The temple built of solid gray stone stands against the backdrop of Kedarnath range. According to legend, the Pandavas came here to pray to Lord Shiva after their victory in the great battle of Kurushetra to atone for killing their own kin in the course of the war.

Badrinath, dwelling at a height of 3,133 m, is the seat of the Hindu god Vishnu in his aspect of Badrinarayan, is generally a two-day's journey from either Kedarnath or one of the main disembarkation points on the plains. By far the most important of the four Char Dham sites, Badrinath is said to be unparalleled in its sanctity when compared to other pilgrimages. Badrinath is located in the Narnarayan range against the imposing Neelkanth peak. The Badrinath temple is stationed in a beautiful valley on the bank of the River Alaknanda and is dedicated to Shri Badrinathji, that is Shiva the Creative destructor.

The best time to visit these char dham is from approximately April 15 until the mid of november. The season is heaviest in the two-month period before the monsoon.