One of the most revered and important pilgrimages in the world!
The Char Dham Yatra is one of the most revered and important pilgrimages in the world for people belonging to the Hindu faith of religious ideologies. It is definitely one of the largest pilgrimages organized in India and includes a painstaking trek to high altitude shrines dedicated to Hindu deities. While it is definitely of high religious importance, at the same time it is also quite a demanding trekking route requiring pilgrims to be in a reasonably good frame of physical health. The Char Dham Yatra, stretched across mountain routes also has its fair share of adventure and abundant layers of untapped natural beauty. Lodged in the unmatched beauty of the snow clad Himalayan ranges, the Char Dham Yatra includes the four renowned shrines, commencing at Badrinath, followed by Yamnotri, Gangotri and finally concluding at the highest shrine in the world dedicated to Hindu God Lord Shiva, Kedarnath.
The route for the Char Dham Yatra is etched across the Indian state of Uttarakhand and it is also significant because each of the shrines is also an iconic landmark which marks the source of the major Indian rivers, Alkananda at Badrinath, Mandakini at Kedarnath and Yamuna and Ganga at Yamunotri and Gangotri respectively. The route traditionally taken to embark on the Char Dham Yatra is from west to east, tracing the path through Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and finally concluding Badrinath. The shrines associated with these sites, especially Kedarnath at the very peak are a unique specimen of architecture and quite a sight sitting in the lap of the majestic mountains surrounded by snow all around. The very sight of the temple and its surroundings is enough to invoke the spirit of divine grace in any devotee.
The shrines are open for pilgrims and devotees to visit and seek blessings from June to November and are shut down completely in the winter from November to May owing to heavy snowfall. During these months the deity is shifted to Joshimath at a lower altitude where it is duly taken care of by the residing priests.
