Chardham of Uttarakhand consists of the four shrines of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. Uttarakhand Chardham belongs to the Chota Chardham circuit and all the Chardham shrines are spanned across the Garhwal Himalayas. The concept of ‘Chardham’ was formulated by Adi Guru Shankaracharya, and these four Dham symbolize the four sacred abodes of the Almighty. Thousands of pilgrims from every nook and corner of the country make a beeline to the Chardham ignoring all the difficulties of the route. Thus Chardham Yatra stands out to be one of the most vital spiritual tours for any pious Hindu.
Here is some important information about Chardham of Uttarakhand-
Location of Chardham
Chardham falls within the Garhwal
region of Uttarakhand. Yamunotri Dham is located in the Uttarkashi district of
Uttarakhand at an elevation of 3291m above sea level. Gangotri too is
located in Uttarakhand Uttarkashi district at an elevation of 3415m above sea level. Kedarnath Dham is located in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district at
an elevation of 3583m above sea level. Badrinath Dham is located in
Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district at an elevation of 3133m above sea level.
Significance of Chardham
Chardham Yatra comes with immense spiritual
significance. It is believed that one who undertakes Chardham Yatra is freed of
all the sins of life and thus is also freed from the cycles of birth and
rebirth. Such an individual easily attains the much sought-after ‘Moksha’ or
salvation.
Besides the spiritual significance,
there are many other medications as well as the scientific significance of the Yatra
too. The arduous trek to Chardham enhances one’s physical stamina. The pristine
heavenly natural ambiance de-stresses the mind, stabilizes hormones, and
improves the pulse rate.
Chardham Yatra Opening Closing Dates
Each year Chardham Yatra commences
on the holy Akshaya Tritiya day and closes on Diwali day. This year too it
is the same. The Chardham Yatra opens on 22 April 2023 which is the
Akshaya Tritiya day and closes on 13 Nov 2023 which is Diwali. The temple Kapat opening dates may slightly differ from the Chardham Yatra opening date. Kapat of Yamunotri-Gangotri temples is supposed to open on
the 22 of April 2023 while that of Kedarnath-Badrinath on the 25-27 of April 2023.
Major Sightseeing Attractions in and Around Chardham
Chardham Yatra generally starts
from Haridwar and the main places you could visit at Haridwar are the
auspicious Har-ki-Pauri Ghat and temples like Chandi Devi temple, Mansa Devi
temple, and Maya Devi temple. From Haridwar, you could either take the Rishikesh
route or the Dehradun-Mussoorie route. On the Rishikesh route, you could visit the
Neelkanth Mahadev temple and the Trayambakeshwar temple while on the Dehradun-Mussoorie
route, you could visit the sublime Kempty Falls. The next place to visit is the
Hanuman Ji temple at Hanuman Chatti. After reaching Yamunotri, the first of the
Dham in the Chardham circuit, you could pay a visit to the famous Thermal
springs known by the name of Surya Kund. Next, as you proceed towards
Uttarkashi falling on the Chardham route, you could visit the famed Shakti
temple and Vishwanath temples of Uttarkashi.
As you move towards the second of
the Chardham, Gangotri you could visit places like Gangnani thermal springs and
Dharali apple orchards en route. On reaching Gangotri you can explore other
places like Bhagirathi Shila, Pandav Gufa, and Jalmagna Shivling apart from the main
shrine of Goddess Ganga. Next, you proceed towards Kedarnath Dham via Ukhimath
where you can visit the famous Madhyamaheshwar temple. As you move ahead on the
Kedarnath Yatra route you can visit places like Ardhnarishwar and Vishwanath
temples at Guptkashi, Triyuginarayan temple at Sonprayag and the Gauri Kund
thermal springs plus Gauri temple before finally reaching Kedarnath Dham.
At
Kedarnath, you could visit the Bhairav temple apart from the main shrine of
Kedarnath ji. From Kedarnath as you move towards the last of the Chardham;
Badrinath. En route, you can visit places like the Tungnath temple in Chopta,
Vishnuprayag, Nandaprayag, and Pandukeshwar. On reaching Badrinath you could
visit places like Mana village, Tapt Kund, and Vasudhara falls apart from the
main Badrinath shrine. As you return to Haridwar you could visit places like
Devprayag, Karnaprayag, Rudraprayag, and Agastya Muni on your way back.
Chardham Yatra Package Bookings
There are several tour operators offering a variety of Chardham Yatra packages to interested Yatri and these tours can be booked online by providing them with your requirements and personal info such as name, call number, email, and number of Yatra traveling along with the preferred dates for the journey. The plethora of Chardham tours offered by these tour operators include packages like Do-Dham Yatra, Ek Dham Yatra, teen Dham Yatra, Chardham Yatra plus Chardham helicopter Yatra. Also, these Chardham tour operators can create special customized tour packages for you based on the time availability you have.Best Time to Travel to the Chardham
The best time to travel to Chardham is between the months of April and November. During this time the weather
remains cool and pleasant and thus best suitable for travel. However, you need to
avoid the months of June, July, and August as during that time the region
receives monsoons. Due to rainfall during that time, the route becomes
landslides prone and risky. Beyond the month of October, the weather starts
getting chilly and is unsuitable for travel due to severe cold and heavy
snowfall and this winter season continues till the end of March.
Accommodation Facilities at the Chardham
The accommodation facilities at the
Chardham include options such as GMVM Guest houses, tourist lodges, camps, Dharamshala,
budget hotels, and 3-4 star hotels. One cannot however expect posh resorts and
luxury hotels at such high altitude, remote locations.
Transportation Available for the Chardham
The chief modes of transport
available during the Chardham Yatra are state buses, private luxury and deluxe
coaches plus car rental services. In some parts of the Chardham route, vehicles
cannot ply as there are no proper roads. In such places, the only options are
to trek the way or avail a pony or palanquin ride. Chartered Chardham
helicopter services too are available these days. Such services help you
complete the Yatra within a very short span of time.
Chardham Yatra Travel Tips
Here are some of the top travel
tips for a successful Chardham Yatra-
- Increase your body fitness and stamina through proper exercises in order to prepare yourself for the Chardham Yatra which involves strenuous, lengthy treks.
- Get a thorough medical checkup done prior to the Yatra; you must be completely fit for travel as per your doctor’s opinion.
- Don’t forget your medical kit; it should contain first aid equipment, your regularly prescribed .medicines plus some OTC Drugs for some commonplace ailments.
- While hiring porters, palanquins, or ponies, make sure you hire a licensed service provider.
- Don’t wear flowing garments on the trek; it might cause accidents.
- Use a pair of Cades or proper climbing shoes suited for the mountainous terrains during the Yatra.
- Keep all helpline numbers as you may need them if an emergency arises.
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