What is the Significance of Chardham Yatra for Indians

1. What is the Significance of Chardham Yatra for Indians Char means four, and Dham means abode of God. Thus, the Chardham is the 04 holy abode of deities. The sacred shrines were brought together by Adi Shankaracharya to form a pilgrimage tour, the Chardham yatra. All these places are highly significant in the Hindu religion, and those who visit them attain Salvation. According to beliefs, after Adi Shankara visited these holy places from west to east. Further, he achieved liberation from the rotation of life and death and gained Salvation at Badrinath. Every Hindu takes the Chardham yatra as their duty towards religion and partakes the yatra once in their life. Each holy place in the circuit is significant in the Hindu religion and withholds ancient history. If you wish to experience the best of this spiritual journey, LIH Travels offers the best Chardham Yatra package with a helicopter for a comfortable Yatra. History and Significance of Yamunotri Temple- As per beliefs, the Chardham yatra should be from west to east. So, Yamunotri temple is the first Dham in 4 Dham yatra in Uttarakhand. Yamunotri temple worships Goddess Yamuna and is her abode. The temple is 3219 meters above sea level in the western Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. It is near Bandarpoonch Parbat, at the foot of Kalind Parbat. Temple was destroyed many times due to natural calamities and restored. Maharani Gularia of Jaipur completed the current temple during the 19th century. According to Hindu epics, Yamuna was the daughter of Kalind (Lord Sun) and Sangya and the twin sister of Yama (God of death). The Yamuna was also one of the Ashtabharya (as

2. Kalindi) of Lord Krishna, and she is a Goddess of perseverance in Hindu mythology. According to the texts mentioned, Yamuna’s elder brother Yama promised her that whoever takes a holy dip in the revered river Yamuna would be free from untimely death, and their soul would not enter hell. It is an action of Salvation (moksha). Thus, Yamunotri is a part of the Chardham yatra. History and Significance of Gangotri Temple- Gangotri Dham is one of the important temples in India and part of the Chardham yatra. Located in the center of Gangotri Dham, the temple is 3100 meters above sea level and worships Goddess Ganga, the epitome of the revered river Ganga. It is a place where Lord Shiva took Ganga in his locks when she descended on earth. The origin of the river is Gaumukh which is 19 kilometers from here at Gangotri glacier. Gorkha General Amar Singh Thapa built the temple. Legend believes that a dip in the river Bhagirathi cleanses all the sins of past and present life. Legend 1 There are two legends related to Gangotri Dham. One states that when the great grandfather of King Bhagirath performed Ashwamedha Yagya to expand his kingdom, his horse was left to roam. When soldiers couldn’t find the horse, he ordered his sons to find him. They saw the horse tied next to Rishi Kapila while he was meditating, and the sons interrupted his meditation and accused him of theft. Rishi Kapila’s anger was at the top of the mountain. Further, he turned 60,000 king’s sons into ashes while cursing they would attain Salvation when their ashes would come in touch with the holy river Ganga (which then was a river of HeavenHeaven). So, King Bhagirath practices austerities to bring Goddess Ganga to earth and did penance for thousand-year (in

3. God’s timeline) to please her. He was able to appease her to come down to free his ancestor from the curse. Legend 2 Another legend states that when Ganga descended to cleanse the sins of the earth, her force could have annihilated the world. It was Lord Shiva who could calm the river Ganga, so he held her into his hair locks. The mainstream from his locks is known as Bhagirathi river, till it meets river Alaknanda at Rudraprayag to form river Ganga, and devotees can witness this Sangam while taking Chardham yatra. History and Significance of Kedarnath Temple- Kedarnath is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, Panch Kedar, and Chardham yatra. The construction of present temple was around the 8th century by Adi Shankaracharya. It is in the Rudraprayag district at 3584 meters amidst the Himalayas of the Garhwal region and the most revered pilgrimage in Char Dham yatra Uttarakhand tourism. The origin of the Kedarnath has mentioned in the Hindu epic Mahabharat. After the war of Kurukshetra, Pandavas were guilty of killing their blood. They wanted to seek Lord Shiva’s mercy and went on an anonymous journey to find him. Bhima, one of the Pandavas, was able to locate him in the form of a bull. He hit incarnated bull with his mace to catch him and the bull immersed in the ground, and his parts appeared in a different place. The hump of a bull appeared in Kedarnath, from which Lord Shiva came in his sacred avatar and freed them from their sins. As per legends Pandavas built the original temple. History and Significance of Badrinath Temple-

4. Badrinath is the final destination on the Chardham yatra tour and the Chota Chardham yatra. It is located at 3300 meters above sea level on the bank of Alaknanda River in Chamoli district between Nar and Naryana and Neelkanth peaks. The temple is named after Lord Vishnu. Adi Shankaracharya built the original temple and has been renovated several times. As per legends, those who visit the temple break the cycle of death and life and attain Salvation. There are many tales related to this majestic town. One states that When Ganga descended to earth to end humanity’s suffering, the planet could not withstand her force. She then split into 12 holy rivers, and one of the rivers made its way from Badrinath. Also, the mountains of Badrinath are mentioned in Mahabharat. Pandavas ended their life on their journey to HeavenHeaven through the Swargarohini. Another legend mentions Lord Vishnu. When he came here to meditate, his wife, Goddess Lakshmi, took the form of a Badri tree to provide him shade from the raging sun and unpleasant weather. He was pleased by her doing and named the place after the Badari tree. Final Say Embark on this spiritual journey with Chardahm Yatra by helicopter and visit the beautiful Uttarakhand along with the four revered temples.