Faith in the hearts of Hindus is rooted deeply, that whoever will visit the Char Dham in this life will be free from the cycle of birth and death. This desire to achieve salvation inspires Hindu devotees to see the Char Dham at least once. Char Dham, located in the beautiful location of Uttarakhand, is also known as Chota Char Dham.
The Char Dham Yatra includes the four holy sites: Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Every year, lakhs of devotees leave their homes to experience the adventurous Char Dham Yatra with deep devotion in their hearts. Usually, people go through many problems due to a need for more appropriate information while travelling and planning, so here we have taken a step towards providing you ease while planning Char Dham Yatra in 2023.
In short, We’ll provide a comprehensive guide for Char Dham Yatra in 2023.
Char Dham Yatra Sites:
These char dham sites are considered holy and an essential pilgrimage for the Hindus. All four areas are located amid the scenic beauty of the Himalayas in Garhwal, Uttarakhand.
North Indian Architecture mostly inspires the temple architecture of Char Dham temples with glimpses of Pahadi Culture.
Each dham is dedicated to a unique God.
Badrinath Dham
The Badrinath Dham is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is a famous Dham among the Vaishnavites cult. Lord Badrinath and the Goddess Badri Devi are the principal deities of the temples. The river Alaknanda flows nearby the Dham region and enhances the area’s beauty.
Besides that, there are 108 Divya Deshams dedicated to Lord Vishnu, and Badrinath Dham is also one among them. It is located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
Kedarnath Dham
Kedarnath Dham is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is among the 12 Shiv jyotirlingas and panch kedars, a famous pilgrimage among Shaivaite followers.
The triangular-shaped shiv jyotirlinga is the main deity of the temple. The Pandavas are believed to be the founders of the temple.
The river Mandakini flows nearby the Kedarnath Dham and plays a significant role in enhancing scenic beauty. Kedarnath Dham is located in the Rudrapryag district of Uttarakhand.
Gangotri
- Gangotri is the origin of the holy river Bhagirathi, later named Ganga, so this pilgrimage is dedicated to Ganga Ji.
Yamunotri
- Yamunotri is considered the origin of another holy river Yamuna. So this site is dedicated to Yamuna ji. The Yamuna River is the biggest tributary of the Ganga.
Favourable time to go for Char Dham Yatra, 2023:
Char Dham sites are undoubtedly located at beautiful locations, but there are some limitations regarding weather. Because the Garhwal range of the Himalayas receives extreme weather conditions during winter and spring, very low temperatures and heavy snowfall make the weather conditions unfavourable for tourists. So it’s not allowed to visit the Char Dham in too extreme conditions.
Therefore the Char Dham Yatra runs with a proper schedule. Before planning your trip, you need to look at this schedule.
The doors of Char Dham temples are open only for a few months.
The yatra starts on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya in the summer season and closes on the Bhai Dooj festival of Diwali.
So plan your char dham trip between May/June and October/November. Otherwise, you’ll not be able to reach the door of the holy temples.
Attractions in Char Dham Yatra:
- First, the darshan of Religious places is the top attraction for devotees.
- The miraculous origin of the river Ganga and taking a holy dip in the gaumukh kund would be the best dip ever of your life.
- Several garam kunds (warm water pools) are present around the char dham trip. One dip in those kunds will absorb all of your tiredness.
- Visiting Badrinath temple, surrounded by the Himalayas and the fantastic architecture of the temple, will attract you a lot.
- Kedarnath Dham is the dream of all of the lord Shiv devotees. However, it is located at the most critical location among char dham temples, but once you reach there, all the hurdles you face would seem worth it. You’ll feel high cosmic energy and spirituality near the Kedarnath temple.
Char Dham Yatra Package
Whether planning the trip for Char Dham solo, duo or with family, you should make a proper plan before switching on the trip mode. Planning the journey through the right platform will save time and confusion. To make your yatra more comfortable, several organisations have launched a variety of char dham Yatra packages. These packages are designed by considering the preferences of tourists and run intending to hold the hand of devotees for the whole trip.
For instance, tourists visiting all four char dham sites can go for the “All in one char dham package”. Those who do not have enough time to travel to all four places can choose the “Two Dham Package”. Various organisations run their Char Dham package to make your trip more comfortable and affordable. The best thing about these packages is the coverage and proper plan. An outsider can only be somewhat friendly with the surroundings of Uttarakhand. So when the expert tourism companies provide you with the package, they already include all the attractive tourist spots, holy bath sites like Garam Kund, and other activities preferred while travelling.
So you can choose the package according to your preferences and enjoy the beautiful Devbhoomi trip.
Char Dham Yatra Uttarakhand Registration
Several tourism companies run projects, including pre-registration for the char dham trip. Generally, tourism companies include all of your necessities in one project so that you don’t have to hustle while travelling. For instance, these projects involve pre-booking hotels, restaurants, and transport vehicles. It would be an inclusive package of meals, transport and stay at affordable costs. However, the registration costs may vary according to the package you choose for.
Besides that, what medium of travelling you choose, train, bus or helicopter, is considered while creating packages.
Few things to know before Char Dham Yatra
- The char dham temples are located at high altitudes, so if you have any medical issues, consult the doctor before going on the trip.
- If you have breathing and blood pressure issues, consult your doctor and carry the required medicines.
- Keep checking the weather conditions of Uttarakhand 15 days before going on the trip.
- If one is physically challenged, choose a travel partner you can rely entirely on.
- You’ll have to face a cold environment, so carry enough warm clothes.
Additional Information:
- The tourism companies keep launching discount packages for char dham trips, so if you cannot afford the standard charges, you can take advantage of discounts, period.
- IRCTC launches char dham tour packages according to single, double or triple occupancy. The charges offered by IRCTC are also very affordable so you can take advantage of that.
- Even some volunteer organisations run free char dham tour packages, so if you do not have enough money to afford the trip, you can take assistance from these volunteer organisations.
- Besides that, several local volunteers offer free meals and free stays. If one is unable to afford them can take their assistance as well.
- Choose group packages if you want to go on the trip with friends. Several tourism agencies launch char dham Yatra packages for the group, so research well before the registration.
Conclusion:
We covered all of the queries you may have while planning the char dham trip. We want to deliver that even if you can’t afford a penny, the various volunteers are still ready to offer you char dham darshan. So there is no need to worry about anything. The only thing is that you should keep faith in God and goodness.
So why wait? Embark on a divine journey with Travel Acharya’s Char Dham Yatra packages. Experience the serene beauty of Uttarakhand, visit the sacred temples, and immerse yourself in the spiritual ambiance of these holy sites.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to undertake a journey of a lifetime. Contact Travel Acharya now.
FAQs:
Q1. How many days are sufficient for Char Dham Yatra?
A1. There is a bit of complication on the way to temples because of the Himalayan region. So, It takes approximately 12-14 days to travel all Char Dham sites via bus. Although, nowadays, char dham Yatra is straightforward and convenient compared to earlier times. And if you want to visit Uttarakhand’s other famous tourist places, it may take approximately one month, based on how many places you see.
Q2. How much does Char Dham Yatra cost?
A2. It depends on what kind of amenities you choose. Selecting the helicopter package may cost approximately 1.3 lahks to 2 lahks for about four days. The people who select bus services can travel the char dham Yatra at affordable prices, like under 60,000.
Q3. Which package is best for a Char Dham trip?
A3. It varies according to the preferences you keep. If you are looking for an affordable cost, you can try bus and train packages. You can choose the helicopter package if you prioritise travelling in less time. Covering the pilgrimage by helicopter takes only 5-6 days.
Q4. What are the other nearby attractions in Uttarakhand? A4. Uttarakhand is located at a high altitude, so many wonderful tourist spots exist. Here we will share some famous tourist sites near Char Dham. The Ram and Laxman jhula, Triveni Ghat, Neelkanth Mahadev temple in Rishikesh, Devprayag, Tungnath Temple, Joshimath, Guptakashi, Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib are some of the must to go beautiful locations.
