CHAR DHAM YATRA

Overview

The term char dham was (four adobes) was first used by a Hindu philosopher and reforms shri Adi Shankaracharya, where he defines the four famous Vaishnavite pilgrimages. 

The ancient pilgrimages that were mentioned in the scriptures were Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. Each of these has its own significance and importance in Hindu mythology. In recent times, these ancient sites are identified as Chota char dham to differentiate them from the bigger circuit which includes Badrinath, Rameshwaram, Puri and Dwarka.

The basic description of the Char dhams are:-

Yamunotri is the source of the Yamuna River and the seat of the Goddess Yamuna in Hinduism in the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand, India. It is one of the four sites in Uttarakhand’s Char Dham pilgrimage. The chief attraction at Yamunotri is the temple devoted to the Goddess Yamuna and the holy thermal springs at Janki Chatti.

The temple of Yamuna, on the left bank of the Yamuna, was constructed by Maharaja Pratap Shah of Tehri Garhwal. The deity is made of black marble. The Yamuna, like the Ganges, has been elevated to the status of a divine mother for the Hindus and has been held responsible for nurturing and developing the Indian civilization.

Close to the temple are hot water springs gushing out from the mountain cavities. Surya Kund is the most important kund. Near the Surya Kund there is a shila called Divya Shila, which is worshipped before puja is offered to the deity. Devotees prepare rice and potatoes, tied in muslin cloth, to offer at the shrine by dipping them in these hot water springs. Rice so cooked is taken back home as prasadam. The pujaris of Yamunotri come from the village of Kharsali near Janki Chatti. They are the administrators of the sacred place and perform religious rites. They are well-versed in the Shastras.

GANGOTRI :-

Gangotri is a small town in Uttarkashi district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is a Hindu pilgrim town on the banks of the river Bhagirathi and origin of river Ganges. It is on the Greater Himalayan Range, at a height of 3,100 metres (10,200 ft). It is one of the four sites in the Chota char Dham pilgrimage circuit.

According to popular Hindu legend, it was here that Goddess Ganga descended when Lord Shiva released the mighty river from the locks of his hair.

The original Gangotri Temple was built by the Nepalese general Amar Singh Thapa.The river is called Bhagirathi at the source and acquires the name Ganga (the Ganges) from Devprayag onwards where it meets the Alaknanda. The origin of the holy river is at Gaumukh, set in the Gangotri Glacier, and is a 19 km trek from Gangotri.The temple is closed from Diwali day every year and is reopened on Akshaya Tritiya. During this time, the idol of the goddess is kept at Mukhba village, near Harsil.

KEDARNATH DHAM:-

Kedarnath mandir is a hindu temple located in the Himalayan region, near Mandakini river in Uttarakhand. It is one of the twelve (12) Jyotirlingas and also a part of Chota char dham yatra. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open to the general public only between the months of April (Akshaya Tritiya) and November (Kartik Purnima, the autumn full moon). During the winters, the vigraham (deities) from Kedarnath temple are carried down to Ukhimath and where the deity is worshiped for the next six months. The shiva linga  worshipped at  kedarnath is triangular in shape. Maa parvati worshipped Kedareshwar for uniting with lord Shiva as ardhanarishvara.

BADRINATH DHAM:-

Badrinath temple is one of the famed shrines of Chardham Yatra dedicated to Lord Vishnu.It is Situated along with Alaknanda River on the hills of Uttarakhand state, Badrinath Dham is one of the holiest temples for the Hindus.

It is believed that, once upon  time, it was Lord Shankar’s home, But looking at the glory of that place, Lord Vishnu Narayana asked for it and Lord Shankar very happily gave up his favourite place to go and reside in Kedarnath.

 When the flow of two rivers meet and then flow as one this point at which they meet is called prayag. On the way to Badrinath you will get a chance to view five prayags. On the way to Badrinath, all devotees get the fortune of going around Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Nand prayag and Vishnu prayag.

The river that emerges from Gangotri Gaumukh is known as Bhagirathi, And the river that comes from Badrinath is known as Alaknanda. When Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers meet affectionately then they are known as Ganga.The mata murti fair that takes place in Badrinath is  celebrated in the descending memory of goddess of Ganga And this is a very well known fair. Situated in north India, the chief priest of this temple who is also known as Rawal they are traditionally Nambudiri Brahimins. They are the residents of Multaha Kerala.