Char Dham comprises of four spiritual pilgrimages Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. Nestled in the lap of majestic Himalayas these Dham are famous for peaceful and cultural destinations. Nature in its entire splendor will leave an experience that will stay with your behind. Million peoples visit Char Dham from India and abroad every Year in search of peace of mind. Himalayas are famous for pilgrimages and also considered as the land of Gods. The best time for Char Dham Yatra is between April and November. Char Dham Yatra starts from Yamunotri passing through Gangotri, Kedarnath and ends with the final step at Badrinath.
Badrinath
This holy pilgrimage is seat of the Lord Vishnu in his aspect of Badrinarayan. Badrinath is the most popular and most famous Dham among all. One of the oldest Hindu temples is the Badrinath Dham. This temple is situated to the right side of the river Alaknanda at an altitude of 3133 m. The Dham is guarded by two of the mountain peaks, Nar and Narain, with the soaring Neelkanth Peak at the rear. This spot was once floored by wild berries hence attaining the name Badri Van or the forest of berries. The temple was built by Adi Shankaracharaya best known as the saint philosopher from the 8th century. It has been repaired many times due to natural grievances. The main gate, Singhdwar, is the chief attraction and displays vibrant colors. The temple is so old that it earns its fame since the Vedic age. The statue is made of a black stone which is somewhat similar to granite. The Alaknanda pours beneath the temple and was previously known as Vishnu Ganga.
It is believed that there are four supplementary Badris namely, Bhavishya Badri, Yogdhyan Badri, Bridha Badri and Adi Badri. It is a famous belief that the idol of Lord Buddha was later re-established by Adi Guru in the form of a statue of Lord Vishnu. This happened after the stretch of Buddhism as the Buddhists preserved their lord’s statue through the Hindu renaissance. The fact makes it obvious for us to believe that the idol would be sitting in a Padmasan position characteristic of Buddha. It also might be interesting to know that Buddha was the ninth embodiment of Lord Vishnu himself according to the Hindu mythology.
Kedarnath
The Kedarnath Temple is believed to have been built by the Pandavas almost 1000 years old. In the 8th century it was refurbished by Adi Guru Shankaracharya. The statue of Nandi, the divine bull of Shiva and stands at the entrance of the temple.
Kedarnath got its name after the name of Lord Shiva. It is venerated as one of the twelve jyotirling in the form of shiva. Amidst the majestic Kedarnath range stands one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Kedar or Lord Shiva. Lying at an altitude of 3584 m on the head of Mandakini, the shrine of Kedarnath is amongst the holiest pilgrimages for the Hindus. There are more than 180 shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva in the district itself, the most important is Kedarnath. This temple is kept close during the winters because it gets covered with heavy snowfall which makes impossible for the pilgrims to enter.If anyone reaches in the temple on a moonlight night then he can watch a witness to the snowed peaks shimmering like hundreds of silver summits on the top of the sparkling mountains.
Yamunotri
The temple of Yamunotri, situated at an elevation of 3,235 m is a point of paramount religious importance for Hindus and an essential pilgrimage. Yamunotri Situated in the direction opposite to Gangotri and the road goes from a place called Dharasu, somewhere between Rishikesh-Uttarkashi and goes on to Yamunotri. The shrine can also visited via Mussoorie and Barkot.
Yamunotri is resource of Yamuna. It's original foundation is a frozen lake made up of ice and glacier but it is located on the Kalind Mountain at an enormous height of 4421m. This make the placees almost impossible to access therefore the shrine has been located at the end of the mountain. One can easily feel the ice like cold water of the Yamuna. The innocence and the purity of the place make it highly respectable. One of the four sacred dhams of Uttarakhand is Yamunotri. It about 220 Km from Rishikesh and 149 Km from Tehri, the picturesque shrine of Yamunotri is located at an altitude of 3,235 m. The 19th century temple of Goddess Yamuna, a number of thermal springs and Divya Shila are prime attractions. Moreover the places full with scenic spot and panoramic views of Himalayas.
Gangotri
Gangotri is the source of the Ganga River and seat of the goddess Ganga, is one of the four sites in India's Char Dham pilgrimage. The origin of the holy Gangas in the Himalayas is an famous pilgrimage center of the Hindus. But Gangotri is most favorite destination for an intrepid travelers. The journey to Gangotri is long and arduous.
The Dham Gangotri means Ganga Uttari or Ganga fell. This memorial place is situated at 3200m. There is an auspicious day on which the temple is unlocked, Akshaya Tritiya at the last week of April or the first week in May. When the temple is unbolted, a Puja takes place on both the inside and the outside of the temple. A closing ceremony is held when it closes on Diwali. Besides of the Gangotri, the chief attraction at Gangotri is the Gauri Kund Falls. Gangotri glacier is the source of the Bhagirathi, which is beyond Gomukh some 18 kilometres from Gangotri Dham and the natural rock Shivling known as Jalamagna Shivling is another beautiful spot. The Shivling is visible during only winters.
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