The "Char Dham Yatra" is a revered Hindu pilgrimage that stops at the country's four holiest temples: Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri, and Rameswaram. The "Chota Char Dham Yatra" circuit, which is exclusive to Uttarakhand, is separate from the regular Char Dham Yatra. Uttarakhand, also known as Devbhoomi or the Land of Gods, is home to many temples and welcomes visitors all year. The Chota Char Dham Yatra is one of the most well-known of the several holy sites and circuits that pilgrims visit across Uttarakhand. Yatra, or pilgrimage, is a trek to four holy sites hidden in the Himalayas: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. In Hindi, these sites are referred to as dham, or holy places. There are four separate directions in Uttarakhand where you may find these four temples, each of which is dedicated to a different deity or goddess. The Chota Char Dham temples are situated in Uttarakhand's Garhwal area. Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath are all in the districts of Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli, respectively. These four holy locations in the Garhwal Himalayas are mentioned in several revered Hindu literature, including the Vedas and Puranas, and have a significant place in Hinduism. Due to their significance to the Hindu religion, devotees flock to Uttarakhand to see these temples.
Every year for around six months, beginning in the spring (April or May) and ending as winter approaches, the high-altitude shrines are closed (October or November). It is intended that one completes the Chota Char Dham Yatra in a circular motion. The pilgrimage therefore starts from Yamunotri, passes via Gangotri and Kedarnath, and ends at Badrinath. As part of the Do Dham Yatra, some devotees travel to Badrinath and Kedarnath.
Yamunotri
The second-most sacred river in India, after the River Ganga, is the Yamuna, and the Yamunotri temple, which is dedicated to the goddess Yamuna, is situated close to its source in the Uttarkashi region. Only 6 kilometers separate Jankichatti from the main temple of the goddess Yamuna, which is situated 3,291 meters above sea level. According to legend, Yamraj once promised Goddess Yamuna on Bhaiya Dooj that everyone who bathes in the river will not be sent to Yamlok and will hence attain redemption. And this explains why, out of the four Dhams, Yamunotri Dham is visited first. The sacred waters of the Yamuna are believed to atone for all sins and prevent a premature and agonizing death. Since it is inaccessible in the winter, the temple shutters, and the Goddess Yamuna statue is taken to Kharsali, a village in Uttarkashi, where it is kept at the Shani Dev Temple for the next six months.
Gangotri
On the bank of the Bhagirathi River is where the Goddess Ganga temple is located. The Ganga is India's longest and holiest river. The Gaumukh glacier, 19 kilometers from the Gangotri Temple, is the source of the river Ganga (really Bhagirathi). It is said that Goddess Ganga originally descended from heaven at Gangotri Dham following Bhagirath's 1000 years of penance. According to legend, Goddess Ganga was ready to come down to earth, but her might was so tremendous that she may have submerged the entire world beneath her floods. Lord Shiva contained the Ganges in his locks (Jatta) and then let it flow freely, becoming known as Bhagirathi as it invaded the world in order to save the earth. It is situated 250 kilometers from Gangotri at the confluence of the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers, where it finally acquired the name Ganges River.
Kedarnath
Kedarnath is a Lord Shiva temple that is located in the Rudraprayag region. Kedarnath Dham is the most important of the Panch Kedar shrines and one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, which is why thousands of pilgrims go on the Kedarnath yatra each year. In the Himalayas, this Dham sits near the bank of the Mandakini River, which Adi Shankaracharya renovated in the ninth century. According to legend, the Pandavas sought Shiva's approval to make amends for the murder of their blood relatives during the famous battle of Kurukshetra (the conflict from the Mahabharata). Shiva, however, wasn't prepared to make up for their wrongdoing. Shiva transformed into a bull and ducked to the ground to avoid danger. Shiva took on the form of a bull and sank to the ground to flee the Pandavas. But as soon as Bhima realized it was Shiva, he immediately grabbed the bull with his tail. The hump at Kedarnath, the two forelegs at Tungnath, the Nevill and stomach at Madhy-Maheshwar, the face at Rudranath, and the hair lock at Kalpeshwar is the five different places where the bull appears after disappearing into the soil. The aggregate name for these five places is Panch Kedar. According to legend, whoever completes the Kedarnath yatra is guaranteed a place in paradise. You can book a Kedarnath tour package with any reputed company. In general, the Kedarnath tour package cost something around 8000 to 12000 in Indian rupees depending about the services, location you are covering, duration of your trip etc.
Badrinath
More than 1 million visitors annually pay their homage at the Badrinath temple. Between Nar and Narayana Parvat, on the bank of the Alaknanda River, is a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This is the only dham that is included in both Chota Char Dham yatra and Char Dham yatra. The Badrinath temple contains a one-meter-tall black stone figure of Lord Vishnu, who is surrounded by other gods and goddesses. The Lord Vishnu idol that Adi Shankracharya erected in the Alaknanda River is believed to manifest itself.
It takes 10–11 days to accomplish the Char Dham Yatra package in one go. Char Dham yatra cost around 20000 to 28000 per person depending upon the tour package, services etc. The Char Dham Yatra begins on Akha-Trij or Akha Teej (in May) and ends on Bhai-Bij for the winter (2 days after Diwali). It is advisable to travel to the Char Dham Yatra in early July and early September to avoid the huge traffic of early May and early June as well as any path obstruction caused by severe rain in late July and early August. The Char Dham Yatra is very significant in Hinduism because millions of followers travel here to offer homage to the Lord in order to atone for their sins and receive redemption via the deity's grace. Every person who upholds their religion in Hinduism is said to have to start the Char Dham pilgrimage at least once throughout their lives. Foreign visitors who want to see the vibrant culture and breathtaking mountain scenery of the Himalayas have also grown to love this rewarding trip.
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