Hindus believe that they must go to the Char Dham Yatra once in their lifetime. They believe that Chardham Yatra opens the gates of salvation by washing away the sins of a lifetime. It is said that when a pilgrim finishes the Chardham Yatra, he attains absolute peace of mind.
What Is The Purpose Of Char Dham Yatra?
The Char Dham is a collection of four holy temples in India. The name Char Dham simply means “four abodes.” Visiting these temples aids in receiving moksha (salvation).
Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri, and Rameswaram are the original four Dhams. Hindus believe that they should travel to the Char Dhams at least once in their lives.
Haridwar serves as the beginning point for the Chardham Yatra. Usually, the Char Dham journey starts from Haridwar. They start out in Yamunotri, move on to the well-known Gangotri. The next stop is at Kedarnath Dham before concluding their journey at Badrinath Dham.
The Chardham Yatra follows this order for a reason. Each of these four sites has a special importance associated with it. Let’s start with the Yamunotri Dham, which is near the River Yamuna’s source.
Given that Yamuna is Yamraj’s sister in Hindu mythology. He had promised her on Bhai Dooj that everyone who bathes in the river will be able to avoid Yamlok. Moreover, they will thereby find salvation.
What Is The History Behind Char Dham Yatra?
The legendary reformer and philosopher Shankaracharya (Adi Sankara), created the original Char Dham. Three of the four places in the original Char Dham are Vaishnava (Puri, Dwarka, and Badrinath). While one is Shaiva (Rameswaram).
Badrinath rose to prominence because Nara-Narayana, a Vishnu avatar, performed Tapasya there. This is according to a famous Hindu belief.
Back then, the area where Lord Vishnu performed Tapasya was full of berry trees. In Sanskrit, “Badri” means berries. Hence, the location went famous as the name “Badrika Vana” or “the forest of berries”.
A huge berry tree in this area where the Lord performed Tapasya shielded him from rain and light. Locals hold that Mata Lakshmi changed into a berry tree in order to save Lord Narayana.
Narayana claimed that following Tapasya, people would always pronounce Lakshmi before Narayana. Leading to the usage of “Lakshmi-Narayana” among Hindus. As a result, it was given the name Badri-Nath, which means “Lord of Berry Forest.” All of this occurred during the Satya Yuga.
The Best Char Dham Route Map
FAQs:
What is the purpose of Char Dham yatra?
In the Hindu religion, the Chardham Yatra is of great holy significance. Every Hindu should make this trip at least once during his lifetime. This is according to the well-known traditional Hindu beliefs. This is due to the notion that the Chardham Yatra opens the doors to salvation by atoning for a lifetime’s worth of sins.
What is the age limit for Char Dham Yatra?
Elderly people above the age of 65 and kids under the age of 10 should avoid the Char Dham Yatra. Moreover, pregnant women, infants, and patients should avoid the Char Dham Yatra.
Is Char Dham Yatra tough?
The Char Dham yatra is difficult. Only two of the temples (Badrinath and Gangotri) are accessible by car. Hence, pilgrims must work very hard to merit the blessings they get. Yamunotri and Kedarnath are the other two, and both need hikes.
What to do after completing Char Dham yatra?
Devotees must take a holy plunge in the sacred waters after returning from the Char Dham Yatra. Perform a holy yagna in your house and invite your loved ones to partake.
Where to stay overnight in Kedarnath?
YatraDham.Org offers several options to stay overnight at Kedarnath. Some of our most loved hotels and dharamshala in Kedarnath are: