Chardham Yatra and Its importance in Hindu religion

Chardham Yatra and Its importance in Hindu religion

India is a country where religion is given a lot of importance and among the Hindus; Chardham Yatra has a major importance. Located in Uttrakhand, Chardham is a place that offers spiritual vibes to the Hindus and pilgrims from all across the country come here for giving their deepest respect to the lord. This is the land where pilgrims plan their expedition while experiencing the scared environment spread across the various temples that surround the yatra.  According to the Hindu beliefs, Chardham yatra is a teerath yatra that happens in Uttrakhand to the four well known dwellings of deities of Hindu origin. These deities include, Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Located in various districts of Uttrakhand, these are holy places that must be visited by Hindus in order to get the teerath yatra done.

Chardham Yatra is one of the most visited teerath yatra among the Hindus and it is considered as pious to make a visit here if a Hindu wants to get salvation in the human life. Each year more than two lakh pilgrims do this yatra and visit the temples and the holy shrines that are on the way to the four major temples. According to the Hindu mythology it is believed that the famous Hindu philosopher from the prehistoric times, Shri Adi Shankaracharya coined the term ‘Char Dham’. The meaning of which is the abode of four deities. It is also known as the home for four major Gods and it is a major holy destination that is being visited by masses every year. All for important shrines or abodes of deities are popular because of their religious importance as well as the breath taking views of the snow covered mountains and the natural beauty at its best.

In India, it is said that making a visit to the Chardham can help a person to get salvation as this is the gate of salvation and people can wash off their sins. It also said in Hindu religion that taking a trip to Chardham once in the lifetime is a must for every Hindu. The shrines of Chardham 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.

The Chardham Yatra starts from Yamunotri and after that the pilgrims go to the pious Gangotri shrine. Later the Yatra goes to Shri Kedarnath Dham and it is accomplished in Shri Badrinath Dham.

It gives immense pleasure to the pilgrims who finish their Chrdham Yatra and they attain serenity and peace in their mind as well as soul.

Yamunotri Dham:

Yamnotri is the source of the sacred river Yamuna and it is the place from where the Char dham yatra begins. According to Hindu mythology, Yamuna was the sister of Yamraj. During the Hindu festival Bhai Dooj, Yamraj made a promise to his beloved sister Yamuna that anyone who will take a dip in the Yamuna River will 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 the 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, temple of Goddess Yamuna and the Janki Chatti’s sacred thermal springs. There are various thermal springs located here which are dedicated to Hindu Goddess ‘Shakti’.

Gangotri Dham:

Gangotri Dham is a famous one among the Chardham 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 places near the temple of this Dham. The place is open from April till Kartik Poornima and pilgrims from all over India come here to take the blessings of the goddess.

Shri Badrinath Dham: This is also a popular and sacred place among the Chardhams and this shrine is located at an altitude of 3,133 meters from the sea level. Located at the banks of Alaknanda River, this popular Dham is devoted to Indian God, Vishnu, also known as the preserver from the Trinity of Gods- (Bhrama, Vishnu, and Mahesh). There is a sacred temple here in the shrine which is known as Vishal Badri.

Best Time to Visit CharDham:

Chardham yatra is done throughout the year by the pilgrims however keeping the best time to visit the place can be a great help. Months of May to October are the peak season when the pilgrims visit the Chardham Yatra and during monsoon season the yatra is stopped. Also during winters when there is heavy snow one should not consider going to Chardham Yatra.

We will recommend you to visit your physician once before you plan for the trip. This trip is not an easy one and so you need to be physically fit to take this holy journey. People do have a belief that this Chardham Yatra is fruitful just for the people belonging to old age group. But this is just a myth and has no valid reason behind the same. People of all ages are considered ideal to be a part of this holy journey subject to the fact that they are physically fit.  It is not only a journey full of spiritual values, but you can name it as a fascinating adventure! We will recommend you to get in touch with professional tour and travel planner for more information about this holy trip and also for booking of the accommodation for a comfortable stay. Plan the dates for your Char Dham Yatrra and get the blessings of almighty god.