SIGNIFICANCE OF CHAR DHAR YATRA AND SOMNATH DARSHAN

1. SIGNIFICANCE OF CHAR DHAR YATRA AND SOMNATH DARSHAN Laxmi puja falls on Diwali, which is the most auspicious festival for Hindus. This Pooja takes place on the third day of Deepavali, which also happens to be Amavasya. This day is considered to be the most important day compared to other days during this festival. It is also believed that Goddess Lakshmi enters the house to bless her devotees with wealth, well-being, and good fortune. Even though Laxmi puja holds the same significance, Bengalis celebrated it on Sarada Purnima day, the full moon day after Vijaya Dashami. On this auspicious day, people clean their house, decorate the house, rangoli and alpona are drawn outside the house, place diya lights on the balcony and windowsills, and perform Laxmi puja to welcome Goddess Lakshmi. They also wear new clothes to celebrate this festival. Since mothers are also an embodiment of Lakshmi, they are recognized on this day. Additionally, new brooms are also welcomed with turmeric and vermilion to honour them. Laxmi puja is a combined puja of five deities, such as Ganesha, Mahalakshmi, Mahasaraswati, Kubera, and Mahakali. After the puja is completed, people go outside and burst crackers to celebrate this festival. Followed by fireworks, family feast and conversations will happen. People also go to Badrinath to celebrate Diwali and perform Laxmi puja. Along with Badrinath, the other three temples are pivotal to Hindus. They are Puri, Dwaraka, and Rameshwaram. Char Dham yatra from Haridwar is the set of these four places. It is also understood that every Hindu must travel to these four places during one’s lifetime. Badrinath, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Yamunotri, located in the Northern Territory of India, is known as Chota char dham yatra. The rest three in Puri, Dwaraka, and Rameshwaram along with Badrinath constitute to be Char dham yatra. Nar-narayan, an avatar of Vishnu, did Tapasya in Badrinath. Hence, it is one of the most important pilgrimage centres in India. On the other hand, Lord Rama built Shiva Lingam in Rameshwaram, Lord Krishna made Dwaraka his residence and not Mathura, and Lord Vishnu is worshipped as Jagannath in Puri. Hence, these four are labelled as char dham yatra. In addition to this, Somnath temple, located in the shores of Gujarat, is one of the most significant temples in India. Out of twelve shivalingas in India, the first one is believed to be built in Somnath temple. Hence, it attracts numerous devotees, who sometimes stay throughout the week and pray. It is called Somnath darshan.

2. For the devotees to stay throughout the week and pray, they need to book the accommodation provided by the temple well in advance. This temple was successfully rebuilt in 1947 after destruction. Temple was decorated properly and accommodation around it was built and was inaugurated in 1951 by then India president, Rajendra Prasad. Besides, sunset in Somnath darshan, alongside the coastal lines of Western India, is a sight to behold. Both Somnath darshan and Char dham yatra’s packages are available for cheap. Devotees have taken these packages because travelling and booking of temple slots have become a problem of late.