Taking birth in the land of mythology, you will be guided with the myths and religiosity since childhood. Around 33 crores deities are worshipped in the mainland of India. For every religious occasion, we worship different deities across four directions in India. Chardham yatra is the biggest tour curated by any pilgrim to seek eternal peace of life. This journey initiates a new lifestyle to the pilgrims. Traveling to visit the omnipresent lord is like finding absolute contentment. We seek the blessings of the god when we start losing faith in own self. The four main Hindu religious sites that considered being Char Dham are Rameshwaram, Puri, Dwarka, and Badrinath. In the 20th century the short Chardham yatra is introduced for the pilgrims to seek blessings from the lord. All these religious sites are located in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand. The locations are Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. It became quite popular among the pilgrims for access road route and the lesser time taken.
Significance of Chardham yatra
As per Hindu mythological texts, it is said that once in a lifetime everyone should take Chardham Yatra. The ideas of liberation, moksha and religiosity or spirituality are well connected to each other. Everyone seeks moksha; very few can renounce the worldly pleasure of life. Lakhs of pilgrims take this journey for seeking the path of salvation. No one needs to be spiritually inclined to take this journey. Many take this journey for the joy of sheer peace, beauty, and purity out of the yatra. Surrounded by the mountains, you will get spiritual upheaval around you by taking a trip to this beautiful land. In India, these sites are believed to be the epicenter of seeking eternal peace. The spiritual tour always settles down the stress and anxiety of life. The path of spirituality is always under dilemma for the pilgrims, everyone tries to follow the right path. But in one way or the other gets trapped into the regular path of seeking salvation.
It is also believed that one can follow the righteous path by taking their parents on the pilgrimage to Char Dham. This pious land can guide these elderly people in the right path. The path of liberation and inner peace of mind have been the constant forces for these people to take the pilgrimage tour. Out of this strong belief, Chardham always allures pilgrims from the corner of the world to pursue the state of solitude.
History of Char Dham
The Chardham yatra is a strenuous one starting from Yamunotri leading towards Gangotri. Finally, you will land up to Kedarnath and gradually Badrinath. The pilgrims travel to these religious sites to rinse off the sins and achieve an inner peace of mind.
Yamunotri 
Starting from the initial point, this place is the ultimate source of River Yamuna. In Hindu mythology, Yamuna is the twin sister of the god of death, Yama. In any religious scriptures, Yamuna is always described as the river showing compassion and love. The Yamuna finds her love in Krishna, and she appears on the earth to eradicate any kind of impurity. It is believed that this river symbolizes compassion and infinite love. Her extraordinary love can accept freedom from death as well. Earlier it was the tributary of Ghaggar and later became the part of Ganges. You will be amazed at the mystic view of the Himalayas along with the flowing water of Yamuna. Located at the height of 3293m, river Yamuna starts from here. The silent flowing of river Yamuna has attracted thousands to offer puja on the river bed. The frozen water of Champasar glacier located at the height of the Kalind Mountains is the ultimate source of Yamuna River.
To reach Yamunotri, you will have to stay near Janki Chatti, a small town in Uttarkashi district. You will have to trek along the river bed to reach the main premise of the temple. This small trek to Yamunotri will definitely prepare you for other strenuous treks to next stretch of your journey. While trekking, you will definitely get the view of amazing mountains. The last 1km trekking is quite difficult for elderly people due to the steep landscape.
Gangotri 
Located at the height of 3100m this pilgrimage site is famous for its spiritual significance. According to Hindu mythology, goddess Ganga appeared on the earth after Lord Shiva released the river from his deadlocks. The Hindu pilgrims believe it to be the source point of river Ganges. In religious scriptures, goddess Ganga is always worshiped as the epitome of purity. The pure water of Ganges can easily rinse off the impurities of life. Gangotri temple is the religious site to visit among the pilgrims. Near the temple shrine, the pilgrims also visit two other places called Pandava Gufa and Bhagirath Shila.
King Bhagirath is believed to worship Lord Shiva to bring Devi Ganga on the earth. The rock was placed in dedication towards the noble work of King Bhagirath. Pandava Cave is also another place to visit uphill 2km away from Gangotri. On the way to Kailash, Pandava took rest and meditate inside this famous rock stone. The pilgrims trek up to this rock stone till date for blessings.
Kedarnath 
This is the third destination on your pilgrimage tour. It is the heavenly abode of Lord Shiva. Situated among the snow Cladded Mountains of Himalayas, you can get a visual pleasure out of the scenic beauty. This Chardham yatra will definitely open up a completely different dimension in the vision of your life. This 14km trek will challenge you mentally and physically. When you will catch the glimpse of the lord at the end, it will be awe-inspiring moment. The tiredness soon disappears after you get the beautiful view of the mountains. You will get an enticing view to be remembered in your lifetime. Located at the height of 3583m, river Mandakini appears from here. It is believed that Adi Shankara, religious propounder of Advaita Vedanta breathed last in this pious land of Kedarnath.
Badrinath 
The last point of destination is the heavenly abode of Lord Vishnu. Situated near Chamoli district, this site will give a complete visual exposure to beauty. The mountains and spirituality have been always a constant force of influence to the pilgrims. Located at 3100m this heavenly land is the ultimate source point of River Alaknanda. It is believed Pandavas followed this route way through Mana on their way to heaven. The spirituality of the land will completely give you an outstanding feeling out of the world. This pilgrimage tour is believed to be the pathway to heaven. The land and its religious history will definitely take you to the primitive times of origins. You will feel the sensation of mythical ages through their ruins.
Best time for Chardham visit
The holy site of Char Dham opens the gateway of peace to the pilgrims in the month of May on Akha Teej and it closes two days after Diwali on Bhai duj. Mostly it is preferable to avoid a journey to the mountainous regions during monsoons. Extreme monsoon can cause landslides as well. So the best time for avoiding any kind of rush is between July and September.
Weather
While traveling to Chardham you will be traveling mostly from mountainous regions. In the midway, you will have to come across plain lands as well. Therefore, the temperature can be very cold at night and it will be very hot at day time. The lowest temperature can be between 1oC and 8 oC in the mountains. You can face extreme hot temperatures around 45 oC over the lands. Therefore, you will have to carry both warm and light clothes for Chardham yatra.
This featured blog entry was written by NepalTourism from the blog Hiking in Nepal.
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