India has been renowned for its religious inclination, which is actually apparent from the presence of different mosques, temples, churches, and gurudwaras or sikh temples. Aside from shrines, this country rich in culture is also known for some of the best religious expeditions and Char Dham Yatra is considered as the most popular.
Char Dham Yatra – An Overview Literally translating to pilgrimage to the 4 abodes, Char Dham Yatra in Uttrakhand basically refers to the 4 holiest pilgrimage sites in the country of India and these include Dwarka, Puri, Rameswaram, and Badrinath. But, they’re frequently confused with these sacred Uttarakhand destinations. Such Char Dhams are part of a small circuit of 4 seats or Chhota Char Dham Yatra.
Facts about Original Char Dhams The original Char Dhams are Rameshwaram, Puri, Dwarka, and Badrinath. These consist of three Vaishnavite and a Shaivite pilgrimages.
- Badrinath – It lies on the Alaknanda River banks between Narayana and Nar mountain ranges. Lord Vishnu is the main deity here.
- Puri– It’s one of the oldest East India cities. Lord Krishna is the main deity here and it’s the only Indian shrine where Subhadra, Lord Krishna’s sister, is worshipped along with Lord Balabhadra and Lord Jagannatha, her brothers.
- Rameshwaram – It’s said to be a place where Lord Rama constructed Rama Setu Bridge to the country of Sri Lanka. Yet, the temple here is basically dedicated to Lord Shiva, which is worshipped in a form of linga. It’s said to be one of the twelve Jyotirlingas.
- Dwarka– Situated in Gujarat, this legendary city of Dwarka is known as Lord Krishna’s dwelling town. It is said to have submerged six times and destroyed by the sea. That is the reason why the current Dwarka is now the 7th city built in the said area and Lord Krishna is the main deity in this place.
Char Dham Yatra – When Should You Go? Char Dham Yatra basically opens on the day of Akha Teej or Akha-Trij in the month of May and closes for winter on Bhai Bij, which is two days after Diwali. But, to beat the rush of early months of May and June and to avoid route blocking because of heavy rainfall in late August and July, it’s best to take Char Dham Yatra in early September and July.
Char Dham Yatra – How Hard Is It? Poor road conditions, varying climate, and frequent landslide make this pilgrimage both difficult and strenuous. The temperatures might fall to 1° C during night time in Kedarnath and might go up to 40° C after several hours. So, you need to carry thick wool for extreme cold weather temperature and light fabrics for hotter places. There are also some highest points that poor oxygen concentration might cause breathing concerns. However, regardless of the hardships and difficulties of this pilgrimage, lots of pilgrims flock in and consider Char Dham Yatra every year. Therefore, if you have faith and wish to offer your prayers to gods and goddesses, it’s time to consider Char Dham Yatra.
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