Uttrakahnd
abounds in places of sanctity where devotees converge every year to pay
obeisance to their Gods braving vagaries of weather & other human
travails in Himalaya. Closest to the celestial beings, devotees from all
corners of the country have flocked to these Himalayan shrines of Char
Dham - Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath & Badrinath every year to seek
salvation. The arduous trails remain in the ancient sanctuaries of
faith for a fulfilling experience. The four dhams receive holy water in
the form of four streams - Yamuna (Yamunotri), Bhagirathi (in Gangotri),
Mandakini (in Kedarnath) and Alaknanda (in Badrinath).
The Adobe of the Gods..
The
Himalayan shrines of Char Dham – Badrinath,Kedarnath,and
Gangoti,Yamunotri. - these four shrines are amongst the holiest of Hindu
temples and are collectively called CHAR DHAM which are nestled in the
picturesque settings of the Himalayas. Since time immemorial both man
and God have just one prayer - Shanti - for the living and the Departed.
The Char Dham, also called the Deo Bhumi - The Adobe of the Gods.
Badrinath Dham :

Badrinath
One of the most celebrated pilgrim spots in the country, it plays host
to the famous Badrinath Temple. Legend has it that Lord Vishnu came to
the area, called ‘Badri Van’, or the berry garden, to meditate after
Narad rebuked the Lord for being immersed in worldly pleasures. The main
deity is a meditating Lord Vishnu.
Facing the temple at the bank of Alaknanda River is a hot water spring
known as "Tapt Kund", a bath in which is very refreshing to all
travellers.
Kedarnath Dham :
Kedarnath
is the seat of Lord Shiva. It is one of the twelve "Jyotirlingas" of
Lord Shiva. Lying at an altitude of 3584 m at the head of river
Mandakini, the shrine of Kedarnath Temple is
amongst the holiest
pilgrimage for the Hindus. It is no wonder that Adi Guru Shankaracharya -
a great scholar & saint, chose to enshrine Lord Shiva in this land,
where the unholy becomes oly and the holy becomes holier. Kedar meaning
powerful is another name of Lord Shiva the protector and the destroyer.
Gangotri Dham
Gangotri the
source of the Ganga (Ganges) River and seat of the goddess Ganga, is one
of the four sites in India's Chardam pilgrimage, Gangotri Temple, constructed in the 18th Century, is dedicated to
Goddess Ganga. Near the temple is located a sacred stone where
King
Bhagiratha is said to have worshipped Lord Shiva. Ganga is believed to
have touched earth at this...
spot. The temple is a beautiful 20 ft high structure made of white
granite. Gaumukh is about 18 kms is the proboscis of the Gangotri
Glacier and is the source of the Bhagirathi River. Pilgrims have to trek
upto the sacred spot on foot or they have the option of going on ponies
to take a holy dip in the ice-cold water.
Yamunotri Dham:
Yamunotri,
the source of the Yamuna River and the seat of the goddess Yamuna, is
one of the four sites in India's Char Dham pilgrimage. The temple of
Yamunotri falls on the left bank and was originally constructed by
Maharaj Pratap Shah of Tehri Garhwal. The shrine of Yamunotri is one of
the "four dhams" of Uttaranchal Yamunotri temple is Situated in the
direction opposite to Gangotri and the road bifurcates and goes to
Yamunotri from Dharasu, a place between Rishikesh - Uttarkashi. Another
55 km away is Barkot, affording a fabulous view of the Banderpunch
Range. Barkot is also approachable by road directly from all the major
cities in India
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