INTRODUCTION
Shiva is an ‘eternal’ who creates, protects, and transforms the universe. In Kalyug, the ‘char dham yatra’ is proclaimed the most spiritual way to reach Shiva and unite with his soul.
The ‘char dham yatra‘ includes:
- Badrinath,
- Kedarnath,
- Gangotri, and
- Yamunotri
Every year millions of devotees across the world proceed to experience this surreal pilgrimage. They believe one must go to the Char Dham Yatra at least once as their human incarnation.
These four holy sites are located amid the most captivating beauty of the Himalayas of Uttarakhand. This place is no less than any heaven in itself.
What is the best time to travel to Char Dham in Uttarakhand:
The real question that comes up is when to plan the trip. Here are some guidelines to decide the best time for the journey. All four holy places only remain open for six months a year, from April or sometimes May (depending on the weather conditions) to October or November, whenever Diwali is celebrated in that particular year.
For existing in the higher altitudes, the Dhams’ temperature constantly fluctuates and witnesses heavy rainfall, snowfall, and Landslides during the winter season; hence the committee of the temples has decided to open the hallowed gates of the temples by April/May to November/October.
So, you should consider the abovementioned information before planning the trip to Char Dham because your safety is the top priority. The harsh weather of the Himalayan region affects the livelihood, so strict guidelines for opening and closing the Char Dham Yatra are followed. Still, you have six months to plan your trip. So plan your trip in such a manner and schedule that you shouldn’t face weather adversities while on the journey.
WHICH DHAM SHOULD I VISIT FIRST?
It is believed that the yatra must be done clockwise so it starts from Yamunotri to the Gangotri, then towards the Kedarnath, and then ends at the Badrinath. However, there is no compulsory sequence of visiting the temples. You can see according to your condition and preferences.
If you plan to go on a beautiful, adventurous and spiritual char dham Yatra, purchasing the Yatra package through our website would be in your favour. All of your worries regarding stay, meal, and cab will end because our travel company Travel Acharya intends to provide ease, comfort and convenience to the tourists visiting the Char Dham in beautiful Uttarakhand.
IS CHAR DHAM YATRA SAFE?
Some guidance must be in one’s mind when planning the trip. The trip requires a lot of trekking habits, and for those who are not habitual to it, the trip may become strenuous but still not entirely unattainable. For someone having a breathing problem or other health issues, consider consulting with your doctor and carrying proper self-aid.
PLACES TO VISIT AROUND CHAR DHAM
You can add some places to your to-visit list while going for the char dham yatra. Generally, when people start their journey, they create it from Haridwar.
In Haridwar, HAR KI PAURI, MANSA DEVI TEMPLE, CHANDI DEVI TEMPLE and GANGA ARTI are locales you shouldn’t miss while in Haridwar. On your way to Rishikesh, you must visit the NEELKANTH MAHADEV TEMPLE, TRIMBAKESHWAR TEMPLE, TRIVENI GHAT, etc.
Other than these, there are some more Nearby attractions that draw a huge crowd every year from different regions of the world, such as Laxman Jhula, Joshimath, Dehradun, Mussoorie, Hanuman Chatti, Beatles Aashram, Janki Chatti, Uttarkashi, Mukhba Village, Panch Kedar and such.
What are the specialities of Char Dham:
Yamunotri:
Yamunotri, also known as the Jamunotri, is a religious temple dedicated to the Sacred River Yamuna. According to Ancient handwritten scripts (Puranas, Vedas, etc.), Yamunotri is presumed to be the point of origin of the River Yamuna. It is at the centre of a mountain hamlet at a distance of 3-5 km from the Janki Chatti, and it would take about 3-4 hours to reach the temple.
- Ways to make your trip more convenient
Due to the trek being very steep, a few modes help people come up with this height. Either they walk themselves or settle for a pony, palki, or Pithu (an open basket where you sit, and the rider carries you up along with the basket on his shoulders).
- Opening and closing dates:
The char dham Yatra opens on the eve of Akshaya Tritiya and closes back on Bhai dooj after Diwali. Nonetheless, check the opening and closing dates before travelling as it sometimes depends on the weather conditions too.
Gangotri:
Gangotri is a temple situated near the Bhagirath shila (stone). Here King Bhagirath worshipped Lord Shiva to invite the Ganga Ji to the earth. Then Lord Shiva accepted his prayer and asked the Goddess Ganga to take the form of a river to descend from heaven to the ground to forgive the evils done by the ancestors of Bhagirath. Gangotri is on the bank of river Bhagirathi (at a height of 3,100m).
It is the birthplace of the Goddess Ganga. The river is also called the Bhagirathi; however, from the Devprayag, it is only known as Ganga, where it meets the Alaknanda.
Gaumukh is the place above Gangotri from where the river starts flowing.
Note: The opening and closing dates of Gangotri are the same as those of Yamunotri.
Badrinath:
Badrinath temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is also named Badri Narayan Temple. Due to the extreme weather conditions, this temple is also open six months a year. The main deities here are LORD VISHNU as Badrinath and GODDESS LAXMI as Badridevi.
It is at an elevation of 3,100m on the bank of the river Alaknanada, and the town lies between Nar and Narayan mountain ranges.
Kedarnath:
Approximately a distance of 86 km from Rudraprayag, Kedarnath Temple is located at the height of 3,583m (above sea level). The main deity of Kedarnath Dham is Lord Shiva. Kedarnath Jyotirlinga is also one of the 12 jyotirlingas of the world. It is on the bank of the river Mandakini.
The historical name of Kedarnath was kedarkhand.
According to the mythologies, the five Pandavas originally constructed the temple. Here history and myth come alive together.
Hindus’ Beliefs
To understand HINDU as a term, we must first learn its meaning beyond man-made explanations. Hindu is not an ISM. It’s not what we call a particular religion divided amongst a specific amount of people. Being a HINDU is a sacred feeling of living as a part of Sanatan Dharma, a Sanatani(follower of Sanatan).
It’s a life-long journey that we travel as Hindus from being made by the hands of the Creator Lord Brahma to the greatest Destroyer, Lord Shiva and throughout its entire path, we meet with hundred types of Contentment, thousands of kinds of pain, distress, and anguish only to be protected and connected by the Lord Vishnu.
How to Book the Char Dham Yatra Package
If you have finally decided to go on the adventurous and religious Char Dham Yatra, then your trip must be perfectly planned so that you can’t miss anything while on the trip. Therefore, you should hold the hand of our expert and reliable Travel Acharya.
The preferences of each tourist may be different, and this is why we have launched a bundle of variable packages.
A variety of plans are available on the Travel Acharya portal. What you have to do is very simple.
- You have to type Travel Acharya on the search engine.
- Once you have opened the Travel Acharya portal, there will be several tourism packages.
- You can select the tour plan according to your choice.
- Once you get registered on that, then you’ll be notified of the further procedure.
- So just pack your luggage and start the beautiful trip to none other than Char Dham.
Conclusion:
We have shared the best time to travel to Char Dham and similar information in brief. Whatever you need to know about the char dham before visiting has been mentioned above. If you plan to go on char dham Yatra, plan your trip through our portal travel acharya
All of your worries regarding trip planning and management will be ours. We’ll try our best to make your trip perfect and convenient.
FAQ’s
Q1. Which route is best to start the Char Dham Yatra?
A1. We follow many routes from different regions, but the most recommended route is that you start your journey from Haridwar to Yamunotri.
Q2. How to begin the Char Dham Yatra?
Usually, most people start their journey from Haridwar with an extreme longing to explore the Garhwal food, cultures, folk dances, and their staying methods. Garwahal is a district in Uttarakhand where all these sites are situated at higher altitudes. You should also start the trip with enthusiasm, spirituality and fun.
Q2. What’s the best time to visit the Dhams?
According to the weather reports, you can easily be guided and effortlessly select a suitable time to travel. However, Mid August to the end of September is the best time to be there.
