Char Dham: Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri

Y. Satyanarayana

Char Dham literally stands for four places or four abodes. From the earliest of times, for Hindus through the centuries, these places have held the most hallowed place in their tradition. They are—Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.

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In earlier times, Hindu devotees trekked through the rugged Himalayan mountains to reach the four destinations which they believed would lead them to moksha or salvation. Today, the journey has become relatively easy with even helicopter services available for those who can afford them. Thousands of worshippers continue to reach what used to be a far more inaccessible holy site, by various modes of transport in contemporary times.

Badrinath

Among the most revered shrines in the Hindu tradition, Badrinath, etymologically, stands for Lord (nath) of the Badri (a berry which grows in the Himalayas, especially on the way to the venerated shrine). Located in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, Badrinath is also revered by Vaishnavites, worshippers of Lord Vishnu. It is also known as Badrikashram and is believed to be one of 108 divya desams mentioned by saints, or holy sites dedicated to the worship of Lord Vishnu. It is supposed to be an abode of Vishnu’s dual form of Nara Narayana. In the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna refers to the penance performed by Arjuna (Nara) in his previous birth, at Badari, with Narayana as his companion, for long years.

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The place is also supposed to mark the spot where goddess Ganga who was descending upon the earth in answer to the prayers of Bhagiratha split into two holy rivers. It is said that that the earth could not bear the force of the mighty river.

Hindu tradition also has it that Adi Sankara found a black stone (Saligrama) in the Alakananda river in the image of Lord Badrinath. Originally, the deity was enshrined in a cave near Tapt Kund hot springs before the king of Garhwal moved the figure to its current holy location of what constitutes the temple town today.

There are references to the mountains around Badrinath in the Mahabharata, as also in the Padma Purana. Sage Vyasa is supposed to have written the Mahabharata here. The Pandavas are believed to have ascended to Swarga or heaven passing through a mountain in Western Garhwal here called Swargarohini (the ascent to heaven).

Kedarnath

Kedarnath in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand is one of the most sacred sites in the Hindu tradition. The shrine is one of the sacred jyotirlingas in the Hindu scriptures. One of the four important pilgrimage sites in the Char Dham, it attracts thousands of devotees. Kedarnath is at the head of the river Mandakini. Situated on a height of nearly 12,000 feet, the approach to Kedarnath is from Gauri Kund. It is believed that Kedarnath is named after Maharaja Kedar who ruled over the region in the earliest of ages known to man, as per Hindu scriptures. His daughter Vrinda, is believed to be an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi, who had performed penance for long years in this region. The Pandavas are also supposed to have performed penance in this place worshipping Lord Shiva in the period of the Mahabharata. Kedarnath is 220 kilometres from Rishikesh and offers a magnificent view of the Kedarnath peak.

The shrine with the sacred Shiva Linga in the sanctum sanctorum, stands on an elevated platform and has survived many earthquakes and avalanches over centuries.

Gangotri

According to Hindu scriptures, Goddess Ganga descended from the locks of Lord Shiva here in the Himalayan range in Uttarakhand. The Gangotri glacier is another major pilgrim centre and is believed to be one of the primary sources of the Ganges. The point called Gomukh (cow’s mouth) is situated near the base of the sacred Shivling.

Yamunotri

Located in the Garhwal Himalayas at close to 11,000 feet, Yamunotri in Uttarakhand offers one of the most scenic treks in the mountain region. The Yamunotri temple is dedicated to Goddess Yamuna and has a marble idol of the deity in black. It features among the holiest shrines in Hinduism and because it is also one of the four most hallowed sites or Char Dham, it draws thousands of pilgrims each year.