According to Hinduism, a Hindu is required to make a pilgrimage to the Char Dham in order to attain Mukti or Moksha. Dhams or holy pilgrimage sites have been visited by rishis, sages and sages since ancient times and are still visited by the devotee with reverence and devotion.
There are four abodes in Uttarakhand which are popularly known as
Chhota Chardham Yatra and
Uttarakhand Char Dham which includes four holy temples of Hindus:
Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. All these temples are located in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand state.
Char Dham of Uttarakhand:
❀ Kedarnath is dedicated to Bhagwan Shiva
❀ Badrinath is dedicated to Bhagwan Vishnu.
❀ Yamunotri and Gangotri are dedicated to Maa Ganga and Yamuna rivers respectively.
Usually pilgrims first go to
Badrinath from Haridwar and then visit other Dhams.
Who developed the Char Dham of Uttarakhand?
Adi Shankaracharya linked these pilgrimage sites together during the 8th century. Generation after generation, these four religious places in Uttarakhand are regularly visited by thousands of devotees from all over the world. Devbhoomi Uttarakhand is visited by a large number of devotees every year in Uttarakhand. After visiting Haridwar and Rishikesh, pilgrims visit Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath in the Char Dham Yatra. During the winter season all the Chardham temples are closed for six months due to heavy snowfall.
The spiritual energy emanating from these holy places is enough to purify the heart, soul and mind of man. Recently a new service has also been started by the Uttarakhand Tourism Department to take pilgrims to Char Dham by helicopter.