Char Dham Yatra
The Char Dham (“four abodes”) is a set of four pilgrimage sites in India. Vaishnavite Hindus believe that visiting these sites helps achieve “Moksha” (salvation). It comprises Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram. It is considered by Hindus that every Hindu must visit the char dhams during one’s lifetime. The Char Dham as defined by Adi Shankaracharya consists of four Vaishnavite pilgrimage sites.
Places to visit in Char Dham Yatra
- Badrinath Dham Badrinath is the final destination of Char Dham Yatra and is considered as the abode of Lord Vishnu. It is strategically situated in the Garhwal Hills, at a height of 3,415 meters above sea level. It is a two-day long journey from Kedarnath and tourists can also visit the Hemkund Sahib.
- Gangotri Dham A part of the Char Dham Yatra, Gangotri is a small town located on the banks of River Bhagirathi and nestled at an elevation of 3,100 meters in the Greater Himalayas. The Gangotri Dham is enclosed in the spectacular Garhwal Hills, at an altitude of 3048 meters above sea level.
- Kedarnath Dham Located near Rudraprayag District in Uttarakhand, Kedarnath Temple is a holy and revered place and is the seat of Lord Shiva. It is surrounded by enthralling snow-capped mountains, including the Mount Kailash. It is also revered as one of the ’12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva’, and rests at an altitude of 3584 meters from the outfall of the holy river ‘Mandakini’.
- Yamunotri Dham Perched at an elevation of 3,293 meters, Yamunotri is the seat of river Goddess Yamuna and is situated atop the edge of Bandar Poonch Parvat. The famous Champasar Glacier, situated on the Kalind Mountain at an elevation of 4,142 meters, is the original source of River Yamuna. The glacier is around 1 kilometer up from the place of existence