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Chardham Yatra is
the most popular
spiritual yatra
starting from
April-May and
continues till
Oct-Nov every year
in Uttarakhand
India. This is the
best time to visit
Char Dhams and enjoy
the scenic beauty of
the environment and
nature. It comprises
of 4 destinations
namely Yamunotri,
Gangotri, Kedarnath
and Badrinath.
According to Indian
ancient stories,
Himalaya is the
place where Lord
Shiva lives. The
religious feelings
and faith of Indian
people in a lord
Shiva attracts them
to visit on these
four religious
places. The temples
built on such
locations are
amazing and people
having a huge belief
in worshiping on
these temples. From
different places
people regularly
visit the temples of
these four
locations.The four holy places Badrinath, Kedarnath,
Gangotri and
Yamunotri are full
of beauty full
places and their
surroundings with
high hills of
Himalaya attract the
people very much.
These 4 places are
having different
values.
About
Badrinath
Badrinath
This holy town
nestles at a height
of 3,133 metres, at
the site where a
forest of Badri
(berry) trees, known
as the mythical
Badrivan, once
covered the area.
Badrinath is
approximately 50 ft
(15 m) tall with a
small cupola
 on top,
covered with a gold
gilt roof. The
facade is built of
stone, with arched
windows. A broad
stairway leads up to
a tall arched gatewayis well-known
as Lord Shiva
temple. Badrinath
temple is the key
destination in
Badrinath town.
Here, a black stone
impression of Lord
Badrinarayan is made
in the Alaknanda
River. This river is
also having the
religious feelings
in Hindu religion.
The hot springs at
this is the best
examples of nature.
The great Nilkantha
peak (6,558 metres)
towers over the
temple set deep down
in the Alaknanda
valley. The rulers
of Garhwal built the
present temple of
Badrinarayan some
two hundred years
ago.
The original
Badrinath shrine,
built by the 9th
century saint
Shankara, has been
re-built several
times over due to
damage from
avalanches and
snowfall.
Badrinath is located
301 km north of
Rishikesh and 48 km
from Joshimath. From
Gaurikund (near
Kedarnath) to
Badrinath by road is
233 km. Badrinath is
generally a
two-day-long journey
from either
Kedarnath, the site
that precedes it in
the Char Dham
circuit, or one of
the main
disembarkation
points on the
plains.The Badrinath temple
opens only from May
till October. It
closes down for
winter in November,
when the deity is
carried to
Pandukeshwar for
worship.
About
Kedarnath
Kedarnath
is also a Hindu holy
place situated in
Uttarakhand, India.
It is revered as one
of the 12
Jyotirlingams. It is
situated in the
Himalayas - the
Rudra Himalaya
range. The Rudra
Himalaya range is
also known as the
Pancha Parvata; its
five peaks are Rudra
Himalaya, Vishnupuri,
Bhramapuri,
Udgari-Kanth and
Swargarohini.
Kedarnath is 3584
meters above the sea
level. The river
Mandakini is present
here, which also
have the region's
values. The
breathtaking
snow-capped peaks
are wonderful to
watch from this
town. Visiting
 the Kedarnath Temple is
also a different
experience of life.
It is the popular
destination for
Hindu pilgrims.
Kedarnath is named
in honor of King
Kedar who ruled in
the Satya Yuga.
According to
legends, the
Pandavas came to
Kedarnath to pray
Lord Shiva after
great battle of
Kurukshetra to atone
for killing their
own near and dear
ones in the war. It
is said that Lord
Shiva kept eluding
the Pandavas and
sought refuge at
Kedarnath in the
form of a bull. On
being pursued, he
plunged into the
ground, with his
hump exposed on the
earth. Legends has
it that his arms
surfaced at
Tungnath, his face
at Rudranath, belly
at Madmaheshwar, his
locks and head at
Kalpeshwar. These
spots where he
reappeared form the
Panch Kedar. It is
believed that four
of the Pandavas died
on the last of these
peaks.
About
Gangotri
Gangotri is
another town
situated in
Uttarkashi district
of Uttarakhand
state, India. This
Hindu pilgrim place
is located on the
banks of the canal
Bhagirathi. The
height of this town
is more than 3,100
meters from the sea
level. Gangotri
 glacier is the
source destination
of River Ganga, and
it is the one of the
four valuable sites
of Char Dham. The
well-known river
Bhagirathi is the
source which
acquired the name Ganga from
Devprayag. Then it
meets the Alaknanda
River. The starting
point of this holy
river is at Gaumukh,
which is set in
Gangotri Glacier.
This one spot of
char dham is easily
reachable from
Rishikesh as it will
take just one-day
journey.
There is a temple
dedicated to Goddess
Ganga and the sacred
stone where King
Bhagirath is
believed to have
worshipped Lord
Shiva. There is a
natural Shivlinga
submerged in the
river (It is
believed that Lord
Shiva received the
Ganges here).
About
Yamunotri
Yamunotri
is the center from
where the river
Yamuna starts. It is
also a valuable
place among four
char dham spots.
Yamunotri is also
known as the seat of
the Goddess Yamuna.
This place is
situated at a good
height of 3,293
meters from the sea
level. The major
place to visit at
Yamunotri is the
temple dutiful to
the Goddess Yamuna.
The thermal springs
at Janki Chatti are
also a finest
example of
 natural
beauty. The real
source of Yamuna
River is from the
ice-covered lake and
glacier located on
the Kalind Hills.
Approach to the
extreme height of
the hill is
impossible hence
reaching the temple
is quite enough for
visitors. The main
spot for a tourist
is a temple of
Yamuna, which was
constructed by
Maharaja Pratap
Shah.
Yamunotri is very
picturesque with
beautiful views of a
number of
waterfalls. There
are two trekking
routes from Hanuman
Chatti to Yamunotri,
the one along the
right bank proceeds
via the Markandeya
Tirth, where the
sage Markandeya
wrote the Markandeya
Purana, the other
route which lies on
the left bank of the
river goes via
Kharsali, from where
Yamunotri is a five
or six hours climb
away. Two hot
springs are also
present at Yamunotri
offering relief to
tired hikers at a
height of 3,292
metres (10,801 ft),
Surya Kund, has
boiling hot water,
while Gauri Kund,
had tepid water
suitable for
bathing. The
Yamunotri temple is
a full day's journey
from Uttarakhand's
main towns -
Rishikesh, Haridwar
or Dehradun
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