Himalyan Char Dham
Uttarakhand
is known as Dev Bhoomi, literally translated as 'Land of Gods'. The Char Dham
of Uttarakhand, which is also referred to as the Chhota Char Dham attracts
millions of Hindu devotees and spiritual seekers to soak in the spiritual side
of the country and also to get enlightenment.
Talking about the history of the Char Dham of Uttarakhand, then these four holy sites, which include Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri are still not acknowledged that how and when they got associated in a pilgrimage loop synchronically. Each of the holy sites has its own mythological history and legends. But possibly it is the prominence and spiritualism, which made these four holy sites a sacred place and now thousands of devotees from all around the world have become a part of it.
Yamunotri
Yamunotri, is the source of the Yamuna River and the seat of the Goddess Yamuna in Hinduism. The sacred shrine of Yamunotri, source of the river Yamuna, is the westernmost shrine in the Garhwal Himalayas, perched atop a flank of Bandar Poonch Parvat. The chief attraction at Yamunotri is the temple devoted to the Goddess Yamuna and the holy thermal springs at Janki Chatti which is 7 km away.
Gangotri
Gangotri is a town in Uttarkashi district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is 99 km from Uttarkashi, the main district headquarter. It is a Hindu pilgrim town on the banks of the river Bhagirathi – the origin of the river Ganges. Goddess Ganga descended here when Lord Shiva released the mighty river from the locks of his hair.
Kedarnath
Kedarnath Temple is a Hindu temple, one of the twelve jyotirlinga of Shiva. The temple is located on the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river, in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open to the general public only between the months of April (Akshaya Tritiya) and November (Kartik Purnima). Kedarnath is seen as a homogenous form of Shiva, the 'Lord of Kedarkhand', the historical name of the region.
Badrinath
Badarinath Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu. It is situated in the town of Badrinath in Uttarakhand, India. Holy shrines for Vaishnavas—who is worshipped as Badrinath. It is open for six months every year (between the end of April and the beginning of November), because of extreme weather conditions in the Himalayan region. The temple is located in Garhwal hill tracks in Chamoli district along the banks of Alaknanda River. It is one of the most visited pilgrimage centers of India.
