CHAR DHAM YATRA

 

  

 Humans are often worried about their wrongdoings at some point in their life and they seek a remedy to cure themselves out of the guilt they have bestowed upon them. Back in the days, in ancient times a lot of philosophers searched for a way to clear their sins, and at last, around 1200 years ago the Hindu religion found their answer through Shri Adi Shankaracharya. He defined four Vaishnavite pilgrimages and called them the “Char Dham”( four abodes ), and said that a visit to the four pilgrimages helps in washing away our sins and helps us attain moksha ( freedom from sins ). 

     The pilgrimage sites which were mentioned by him in his scriptures were four unique significant sites in the Hindu mythology named the Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. The trip to the four sites names the “Char Dham Yatra” has been a traditionary for Hindus throughout the years and it is said to visit these sacred places at least once in a lifetime. Apart from it, a lot of pilgrims come to visit to experience its eternal bliss.

     In our ancient scripts, we have heard of the friendship of lord Shiva and lord Vishnu and they are referred to as the eternal friends and it's said that wherever Lord Vishnu resides, shiva will also reside nearby. The Char Dham is no anomaly as the Kedarnath is the pair of Badrinath, Rangnath Swami is a pair of Rameshwaram, Somnath is for Dwarka, and Jagannath Bhairava for Puri. 

    The shrines are closed in winter and reopen in summer due to the snowfalls which cause travel dilemmas. The yatra isn’t easy as only Badrinath and Gangotri is accessible by vehicle. Yamunotri and Kedarnath require treks. So the pilgrims have to put their benefits at the top because the yatra can be really challenging and also tiring. It takes around almost 11-15 days to visit all of the temples.        

    Traditionally the yatra starts from the east to the west, Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and finally Badrinath. The holy waters from the rivers Yamuna and Ganga are brought by the pilgrims and offered to the Kedarnath deity Kedareshwara. 

    The trek starts from Janki chatty, 225 kilometers from Rishikesh to reach Yamunotri. Badrinath and Gangotri are approachable by road from Haridwar, Rishikesh, Kotdwar, and Dehradun. And Gaurikand, almost 207 km from Rishikesh to reach Kedarnath and that too by trek. 

     In the case of detailed transportation, Dehradun and Rishikesh are the nearest railway stations. The Dehradun railway station is 175 km away and the Rishikesh railway station is 200 km away from Yamunotri. By air, Jolly Grant airport is the nearest situated at a distance of 210 km. The journey to the village of Hanuman Chatti, which is 14 km away from Yamunotri temple takes around 7 hours from Rishikesh and around 6 hours from hill station Mussoorie. From thereafter taking a taxi one will reach Janki chatty from where the trek starts. It is only 5 km away to Yamunotri via Kharsali but it's steep and really dangerous so a lot of pilgrims take an hour or two to cover up the whole distance. Mules and are kept for service for those who don’t want to walk and also men will help to carry you if you give them a wholesome of money. The best time to visit Yamunotri is between May to June and September to November. 

    Gangotri is popularly reached from Rishikesh (12 hours away ) via Uttarkashi ( six hours away). People mostly take a jeep or bus to get there. A lot of guesthouses and bungalows are available for those who require accommodation. The nearest airport to Gangotri is again Jolly Grant airport at the distance of 250 km. By rail, Rishikesh railway station is the nearest with a distance of 243 km away from Gangotri. Since Gangotri remains cold throughout the year, the best time to visit is between April and June and September and October. Summers are the ideal season to pay homage to the shrine as it is quite pleasant and gives a naturalistic vibe. 

    The Kedarnath starts from Rishikesh, the whole journey from Rishikesh takes around 12 hours by bus or jeep. Then proceed to Gaurikand, 14 km from Kedarnath. It takes about 6 hours. Those who aren't able to walk are again helped by ponies and also porters are available to help carry luggage as well. By air, Jolly Grant airport is the nearest airport with a distance of 239 km from Kedarnath. And by train, Rishikesh is the nearest with 221 km. The site is also accessible via helicopter. Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd ( owned by the Indian government ) provides services and it just takes about 15 minutes. 

     One should reach either Haridwar or Rishikesh to get to Badrinath from there well get a direct bus to Badrinath with a distance of approx 300 km from Rishikesh and takes around 10-12 hours to reach. the nearest airport is Jolly Grant airport in Dehradun with a distance of 317 km. 

    Among all the sites, Badrinath is the most popular and also the most accessible site. The opening date is decided by the priests in February. The second most important temple is Gangotri which eludes its simple bliss. It is regarded as one of the most powerful sites as it is located near one of the most famous rivers and powerful rivers in India, the Ganges. It is said that the Gangotri attracts almost 300000 pilgrims every ear because of its beautiful scenery rugged with mountains and forests. And then falls Yamunotri temple which from the name it self understood that it is close to the famous Yamuna River which flows way past one of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj mahal. The mountain air, running water, and its natural beauty explodes a certain kind of magical aura which makes the site an even more desirable tourist spot. Last but never the least come to the Kedarnath temple, even though it is a herculean task to reach the site almost 100000 pilgrimages omes every year. It is considered to be where lord Shiva resides and is one among the 12 Jyotirlingas (shrines of Shiva). Its beautiful, traditional infrastructure makes it one of the best, largest, and most magnificent one in the Himalayas.