Char Dham Yatra as the name suggests is a pilgrimage tour to the four holy destinations in India that include Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamnotri. It is considered as the most sacred tour in India which drags tourists at large to the heavenly Himalayan range.The Hindu Mythology says that one should visit the Char Dhams at least once in his lifetime. It is believed that Char Dham Yatra is the only way to wash out our sins in order to attain salvation.The Indian pilgrimage tour ‘Char Dham Yatra’ takes you on a holy voyage amidst lush green surroundings. The rich flora residing in the serene regions of Garhwal Himalya’s offers a piousexperience

Haridwar

Haridwar is regarded as one of the seven holiest places to Hindus. According to the Samudra manthan, Haridwar along with Ujjain, Nashik and Prayag (Allahabad) is one of four sites where drops of Amrit, the elixir of immortality, accidentally spilled over from the pitcher while being carried by the celestial bird Garuda. This is manifested in the Kumbha Mela being celebrated every 3 years in one of the 4 places, and thus every 12 years in Haridwar. Amidst the Kumbha Mela, millions of pilgrims, devotees, and tourists congregate in Haridwar to perform ritualistic bathing on the banks of the river Ganges to wash away their sins to attain Moksha. Brahma Kund, the spot where the Amrit fell, is located at Har Ki Pauri (literally, "footsteps of the Lord") and is considered to be the most sacred ghat of Haridwar.

Rishikesh

Rishikesh is a name of Vishnu that means 'lord of the senses' the root words Hrishika and Isha join together to make Hrishikesha. Hrishika means Senses and "Isha" means Master or Lord. Hence the word means Lord of Senses or Lord Vishnu. The place gets its name after Lord Vishnu who appeared to 'Raibhya Rishi', as a result of his tapasya (austerities), as Lord Hrishikesha. In Skanda Purana, this area is known as 'Kubjamraka' as Lord Vishnu appeared, under a mango tree. Another legend says that fierce fire broke out here. Lord Shiva was angry with Lord Agni and cursed him. Then Lord Agni prayed here for the expiration of his sins. Hence it is also known as 'Agni Tirtha' - The holy place to penance of Lord Agni or Fire God.

History

Hrishikesh has been a part of the legendary 'Kedarkhand' (the present day Garhwal). Legends state that Lord Rama did penance here for killing Ravana, the demon king of Lanka; and Lakshmana, his younger brother, crossed the river Ganges, at a point, where the present 'Lakshman Jhula' bridge stands today, using a jute rope bridge. The 'Kedar Khand' of Skanda Purana, also mentions the existence of Indrakund at this very point. The jute-rope bridge was replaced by iron-rope suspension bridge in 1889, and after it was washed away in the 1924 floods, it was replaced by the present stronger bridge. Another similar suspension bridge Ram Jhula was built in 1986 at nearby Shivanand Nagar.

Yoga Centre in Rishikesh

 

Hrishikesh, sometimes nicknamed "the world capital of Yoga", has numerous yoga centers that also attract tourists. It is believed that meditation in Hrishikesh brings one closer to attainment of moksha, as does a dip in the holy river that flows through it. Rafting season starts from the month of March and ends in September.

Hrishikesh is also home to the 133 year old Kailash Ashram Brahmavidyapeetham, an institution dedicated to preserve and promote the traditional Vedantic Studies. Prominent personalities such as Swami Vivekananda, Swami Rama Tirtha and Swami Shivananda have studied in this institution.

Yamunotri

Yamunotri is the source of the Yamuna River and the seat of the Goddess Yamuna in Hinduism. It is situated at an altitude of 3,293 metres (10,804 ft) in the Garhwal Himalayas and located approximately 30 kilometers (19 mi) North of Uttarkashi, the headquarters of the Uttarkashi district in the Garhwal Division of Uttarakhand, India. It is one of the four sites in India's Chhota Char Dham pilgrimage. 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 (7 km. Away).

Surya KundClose to the temple is hot water springs gushing out from the mountain cavities. Surya Kund is the most important kund. Near the Surya Kund there is a shila called Divya Shila, which is worshipped before puja is offered to the deity. Devotees prepare rice and potatoes, tied in muslin cloth, to offer at the shrine by dipping them in these hot water springs. Rice so cooked is taken back home as prasadam. The pujaris of Yamunotri come from the village of Kharsali near Janki Chatti. They are the administrators of the sacred place and perform religious rites. They are well-versed in the Shastras.

UttarkashiUttarkashi,meaning Kashi of the north, is a town in

Uttarakhand, India. It is the district headquarters of Uttarkashi district. Uttarkashi is situated on the banks of river Bhagirathi at an altitude of 1352 m above sea level. Uttarkashi is home to a number of ashrams and temples and also to the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. The name of the town reflects its similarity to and location (as north of) the city of Kashi (Varanasi). Similar to Varanasi, town of Uttarkashi is situated on the Ganges, lies next to a hill named Varun Parvat, on confluence of two rivers Varuna and Asi, has a ghat called Manikarnika Ghat and has a temple dedicated to Shiva (Kashi Vishwanath Temple) in the center of the town.

THE KASHI VISHWANATH TEMPLE

The kashi Vishwanath temple is the abode of lord himself who is manifest here as a syambhu linga, i.e. a self-manifest image not setup by human hands. Lord Shiva is manifest here immersed in deep meditation, showering his blessing upon all humanity. The Shivlingam here is 56 cm in height and has a tilt to the south. In the sanctum sanctorum, there are also Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesha. Nandi is in outer chamber of the temple.

Places of interest NIM is one of the few mountaineering institutes in India. It conducts various mountaineering and climbing

training courses and besides organising climbing expeditions. Bachendri Pal, India's first woman to climb Mount Everest is an alumnus of NIM.

Dodital: One of the popular fresh water lakes in Uttarkashi. 21 km trek to Dodital starts from Sangamchatti.

Kandar Devta Mandir Vishwanath Temple Ganga Kinare (bank of the Ganges) Ujeli (constellation of sages): Ujeli is a neighborhood on the north of the town, where many ashrams are

located. Tiloth Power Plant: Located in Tiloth village at the fringe of Uttarkashi town; Stage 1 of Maneri Bhali

hydroelectric project Maneri Dam: Located at Maneri (15 km from Uttarkashi town); Stage 1 of Maneri Bhali hydroelectric

project Bhali Dam: Located in Joshiyara village at the lower fringe of the town. Stage 2 of Maneri Bhali

hydroelectric project Nachiketa Tal Kuteti Devi temple: Located on a small hill across Bhagirathi River Gyansoo and Palla Gyansoo: Old suburbs of Uttarkashi town, located en route to New Tehri Joshiyara: A village across Bhagirathi River. Now becoming a neighborhood. It has a famous temple,

Kaleshwar Mandir, dedicated to Lord Shiva. Mati: A battalion of Indo-Tibetan Border Police is located here Mahidanda: Another battalion of Indo-Tibetan Border Police is located here Adventure sports White Water River rafting, Uttarkashi is known for its excellent trekking tracks and

mountaineering.

Harsil

Harsil is a village and a cantonment area, on the banks of Bhagirathi River, on the way to Hindu pilgrimage, Gangotri, in Uttarkashi district of Indian state of Uttarakhand).

Situated at a height of 7,860 ft (2,620 metres.) from sea level, Harsil lies 73 km. from Uttarkashi, and 30 km away from Harsil, lays the Gangotri National Park, spread over 1,553 square km.

Gangotri Temple

Gangotri, the origin of the River Ganges and seat of the goddess Ganga, is one of the four sites in the Chota Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. The original Gangotri Temple was built by the Gurkha general Amar Singh Thapa. The river is called Bhagirathi at the source and acquires the name Ganga (the Ganges) from Devprayag onwards where it meets the Alaknanda. The origin of the holy river is at Gaumukh, set in the Gangotri Glacier, and is a 19 km trek from Gangotri.

GuptakashiGuptakashi, Gupta Kashi or Guptkashi is a fairly large town located at an elevation of 1,319 meters (4,327 ft) in the Kedar-khanda ('khanda' means "sector"), in Garhwal Himalayas of Rudraprayag district in Uttrakhand, India. It is famous for the ancient Vishwanath Temple - dedicated to god Shiva - similar to the one in Varanasi (Kashi). The other famous temple here is dedicated to Ardhanareshvara (a half man half woman form of Shiva and Parvati). The name Guptakashi has legendary significance linked to the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. Its religious importance is considered next to that of Varanasi, believed to be the most pious of all Hindu pilgrimage places.

Kedarnath Temple

Kedarnath Temple is one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to the god Shiva and is located on the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini River in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand in India. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open only between the ends of April (Akshaya Tritriya) to Kartik Purnima (the autumn full moon, usually November) every year. During the winters, the vigrahas (deities) from Kedarnath temple are brought to Ukhimath and worshipped there for six months. Lord Shiva is worshipped as Kedarnath, the 'Lord of Kedar Khand', the historical name of the region.

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