You must have heard about the Char Dham Yatra, which is also known as the Chota Char Dham Yatra and is located in Uttarakhand. Four temples are included in this circuit: Yamunotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath, and Gangotri. Every year, thousands of pilgrims go on the Char Dham yatra, starting from Yamunotri, then Gangotri to Kedarnath, and at last they visit Badrinath. As per the holy scriptures and historical documents, it is believed that it was first done by Pandavas after they felt the burden of the sin of killing their family members and teachers in the war of Kurukshetra in the Mahabharata epic. It is said that anyone who follows the same sequence to complete their char dham yatra will get rid of their sin, attain salvation (freedom from the cycle of birth and death), and get a place in heaven.
After the war in Kurukshetra, Pandavas felt guilty about the bloodshed caused by the war. They felt the burden of sin for killing their loved ones. So they went in search of Lord Shiva to Kashi, knowing that it was one of his favorite places, and he would certainly meet them and help them in atonement. But Lord Shiva was angry at the Pandavas due to the heavy bloodshed and devastation caused by the war. So he shifted from Kashi to somewhere in the Himalayas. Determined Pandavas also started searching for Lord Shiva and first went to Yamunotri, then Gangotri, and then to Kedarnath and Badrinath before going to heaven. While passing through these places, they have seen some of the most prominent temples in Uttarakhand; some of them are Kedarnath, Guptkashi Temple, and all the temples in Panch Kedar.
The Char Dham Yatra is a collection of four temples, i.e., Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. Let's talk about these temples one by one in detail.
Yamunotri temple: The second most prominent river in northern India is Yamunotri. This temple is built on the origin of the Yamunotri River. This temple is situated at an altitude of 3291 meters above sea level in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. You can go to Janki Chatti by vehicle, then trek for 6 km to reach the temple. The black idol of the goddess Yamuna is installed in the compound of the temple. However, the pooja offerings are made on the silver deity of the goddess of Yamuna, a replica of the original diety.
If we talk about the history of Yamunotri temple, then it is believed to have been constructed in 1839 by Naresh Sudarshan Shah and was reconstructed by Maharani Gularia Devi in the 9th century after a major portion of the temple was devastated by the earthquake. She was the queen of Jaipur. The massive portion of this temple was constructed of black granite marble.
Gangotri Temple: The second temple of this circuit is the Gangotri temple. It is believed to be located at the origin of the Ganga, one of the most sacred rivers in India. This temple is located at a height of 3100 meters above sea level and is one of the highest temples dedicated to the goddess Ganga. The town of Ganga is situated in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. This serene temple is in the lap of the Himalayas and is one of the most beautiful temples and an integral part of the Char Dham yatra. The river that originates from Gangotri is known as Bhagirathi. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple consists of the main idol of Maa Ganga and other deities like Yamuna, Annapurna, Saraswati, etc. The temple was built in Katyuri architecture, which originated in Nepal's Katyuri dynasty.
Talking about its history, it is believed to have been constructed by Nepalese general Amar Singh Thapa in the 18th century and was later reconstructed by the King of Jaipur. It was later built by Sudarshan Singh, the king of Garhwal, who was a strong believer in the fact that Maa Ganga came on earth from heaven to serve humanity till eternity. As per the legends, it is believed that this is the same place where Lord Shiva caught Ganga in his matted hair before releasing it on Earth so that Earth could be saved by the force of the river Ganga.
Kedarnath Temple: The third most important and well-known temple of this circuit is Kedarnath Temple, which is located at an altitude of 3583 meters above sea level in the Rudrarayag district of Uttarakhand. In addition to being part of the Chota Char Dham Yatra, this temple is also a part of 12 jyotirlingas in India. This temple is well-known for its divine power and miracles in the day-to-day lives of devotees of Lord Shiva. It is one of the most visited temples in the Chota Char Dham circuit and is also believed to have been built around 1200 years ago by Adi Shankaracharya. It is believed to be one of the most beautiful temples in India. Pilgrims take Kedarnath yatra in search of lord shiva. You can go to this temple on your own or book a Kedarnath tour package with Manchala Mushafir for a hassle-free trip. Here Kedarnath yatra pacakge cost is 9500 per person from Haridwar to Haridwar.
Badrinath Temple is one of the well-known temples that is included both in the Chota Char Dham and Bada Char Dham circuits. It is also one of the most beautiful temples, built like a Buddhist monastery, and is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This temple is also well known as the temple of Satyuga and is known as being on the gateway to heaven.
Conclusion:-
Going on the Char Dham yatra is one of the most privileged journeys for Hindus in India. Visiting all these temples in the same sequence can help you get rid of sin and guilt in your heart. It is also known as a method of achieving salvation in life. It's great luck to go on the Char Dham Yatra circuit, and all of us should strive to go at least once in a lifetime. But do remember that it's a heritage of our future generation, and we have to hand it over to them as we got it from our ancestors, so keep it clean and respect the culture and traditions of the locals.