Difference between revisions of "Char Dham" - New World Encyclopedia

From New World Encyclopedia
(20 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{ready}}{{images OK}}
+
{{Copyedited}}{{approved}}{{submitted}}{{ready}}{{images OK}}
[[Image:312265905_738edfeecf_b.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Haridwar to Char Dham]]
+
 
The '''Char Dham''' ('the four abodes/seats') constitutes the most important [[Hindu]] pilgrimage circuit in the [[India]]n [[Himalaya]]s. Located in the [[Garhwal]] section of the state of [[Uttarakhand]] (formerly the northwestern section of [[Uttar Pradesh]]), the circuit consists of four sites: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and [[Badrinath]]. Each site has its own unique characteristics. Yet their inclusion in the Char Dham has, over time, inclined them be viewed together in popular imagination and actual pilgrimage practice.
+
[[Image:Badrinath temple.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Badrinath temple]]
<!--The new Dhaam is also located at Naanijdhaam (Ratnagiri) Maharashtra by entitled by Jagatguru Ramanandacharya shri Swami narendracharyaji maharaj.—>
+
 
 +
The '''Char Dham''' ('the four abodes/seats') constitutes the most important [[Hindu]] [[pilgrimage]] circuit in the [[India]]n [[Himalaya]]s. Located in the [[Garhwal]] section of the state of [[Uttarakhand]] (formerly the northwestern section of [[Uttar Pradesh]]), the circuit consists of four sites: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and [[Badrinath]]. Each site has its own unique characteristics. Yet their inclusion in the Char Dham has, over time, inclined them be viewed together in popular imagination and actual pilgrimage practice. 250,000 pilgrims made the journey annually. Most pilgrims take the journey between March and late July, when monsoon season begins. After October, winter snow makes the trip difficult and dangerous.  
 +
 
 +
All four pilgrimage sites sit in the [[Himalayas]], previously difficult to reach, requiring a two month hike. During that time, only [[Hindu ascetics|wandering ascetics]], Hindu masters, and wealthy devotees with an entourage made the pilgrimage. Since the [[Sino-Indian War]] of 1962, when India made road improvements in the region to conduct campaigns against [[China]], travel to the sites has become easier for pilgrims.
 +
{{toc}}
 +
Pilgrimage has a long tradition in [[Hinduism]]. The region of Char Dham, in the [[Himalayas]], represents one of the most holy of pilgrimage routes in India for [[Hindus]]. Originally established by [[Adi Sankara]] in the seventh century C.E. to cover [[India]], the current smaller route has replaced the earlier one. The purpose of the [[Pilgrimage|pilgrimage]] is to give the pilgrim an experience of Self ([[Atman]]) and [[Brahmin]] (the Whole).  
  
 
==Origins==
 
==Origins==
[[Image:435071674_5882f50958_o.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Haridwar, on the banks of river Ganga, serves as a gateway to the famed Char Dham (four abodes of the Lord) shrines situated in the Upper Himalayas, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri]]
+
[[Image:435071674_5882f50958_o.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Haridwar, on the banks of river Ganga, serves as a gateway to the famed Char Dham (four abodes of the Lord) shrines situated in the Upper Himalayas, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.]]
The origins of the Char Dham remain obscure. The appellation Char Dham had been reserved for India's most famous pilgrimage circuit, four important temples—[[Puri, Orissa|Puri]], [[Rameshwaram]], [[Dwarka]], and [[Badrinath]]. They had been grouped together by the great 8th century reformer and philosopher Shankaracharya ([[Adi Sankara]]) as the archetypal All-India pilgrimage circuit to the four cardinal points of the subcontinent.  
+
The origins of the Char Dham remain obscure. The appellation Char Dham had been reserved for India's most famous pilgrimage circuit, four important temples—[[Puri, Orissa|Puri]], [[Rameshwaram]], [[Dwarka]], and [[Badrinath]]. They had been grouped together by the great eighth-century reformer and philosopher Shankaracharya ([[Adi Sankara]]) as the archetypal All-India pilgrimage circuit to the four cardinal points of the subcontinent.  
  
 
Badrinath, the last visited and the most important of the four sites in the original Char Dham, also became the cornerstone site of a Himalayan pilgrimage circuit dubbed the Chota (little) Char Dham. Unlike the original Char Dham, the sites of the Chota Char Dham have their own, separate sectarian affiliation. The three major sectarian movements in modern devotional Hinduism have representation, with the [[Vaishnava]] site Badrinath joined by one [[Shaiva]] site ([[Kedarnath]]) and two [[Devi]] sites ([[Yamunotri]] and [[Gangotri]]).
 
Badrinath, the last visited and the most important of the four sites in the original Char Dham, also became the cornerstone site of a Himalayan pilgrimage circuit dubbed the Chota (little) Char Dham. Unlike the original Char Dham, the sites of the Chota Char Dham have their own, separate sectarian affiliation. The three major sectarian movements in modern devotional Hinduism have representation, with the [[Vaishnava]] site Badrinath joined by one [[Shaiva]] site ([[Kedarnath]]) and two [[Devi]] sites ([[Yamunotri]] and [[Gangotri]]).
  
 
===Recent History===
 
===Recent History===
As late as the mid-twentieth century, the "Chota" designation was still used consistently to delineate the Himalayan version of the Char Dham. This usage probably reflects the relative importance of the circuit for most of its history. Accessible until recent times only after a two-month trek that repeatedly exceeds 4000 meters, the Chota Char Dham was long dominated by wandering ascetics and religious professionals, along with a handful of devoted retirees and wealthy patrons (who could afford an entourage). While the individual sites and the circuit as a whole were important to Hindus on the plains below, they were not a particularly visible aspect of yearly religious culture. After the [[Sino-Indian war|1962 war between India and China]], however, accessibility to the Chota Char Dham improved drastically, as India's short-lived efforts at Himalayan expansionism required massive infrastructure investments. As pilgrim buses began to arrive, the Chota appendix seems to have dropped away, though the prefix "Himalayan" (Hindi: ''Himalaya ki Char Dham'') is sometimes still added to avoid confusion.  
+
As late as the mid-twentieth century, devotees consistently still used the "Chota" designation to designate the Himalayan version of the Char Dham. That usage reflects the importance of the circuit for most of its history. Accessible until recent times only after a two-month trek, the Chota Char Dham had been long dominated by wandering ascetics and religious masters, along with a handful of devoted retirees and wealthy patrons (who could afford an entourage).  
 +
 
 +
While the individual sites and the circuit as a whole hold importance to Hindus on the plains below, they held less significance for year round religious devotion and practice. After the [[Sino-Indian War|1962 war between India and China]], accessibility to the Chota Char Dham improved drastically. India efforts conducting the war required investment to develop Himalayan infrastructure. As pilgrim buses began to arrive, the Chota appendix seems to have dropped away, though the prefix "Himalayan" (Hindi: ''Himalaya ki Char Dham'') often has been added to avoid confusion.
  
 
===Pilgrimage===
 
===Pilgrimage===
 
[[Image:Hot water pool at Gangnani.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Gangotri: Wonderfully hot waters for men (women's bath inside) with Parashar temple above.]]
 
[[Image:Hot water pool at Gangnani.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Gangotri: Wonderfully hot waters for men (women's bath inside) with Parashar temple above.]]
With infrastructure improvements, the importance of the Char Dham as both an actual destination and an object of the national Hindu religious imagination has increased significantly. Buoyed by the development of new forms of bourgeois "religious tourism" and by the rise of a conservative Hindu population compelled by sites that speak to the existence of an all-India Hindu culture, the Char Dham has become an important destination for pilgrims from throughout [[South Asia]] and the diaspora, particularly [[Bengali people|Bengalis]], [[Marwari]]s, [[Gujarati people|Gujarati]]s, [[Delhi]]tes- and people from [[Uttar Pradesh|U.P]], and of course citizens of [[Uttarakhand]].  
+
With infrastructure improvements, the importance of the Char Dham as both an religious destination and an object of the national Hindu religious imagination has increased significantly. Buoyed by the development of new forms of "religious tourism," and by the rise of a conservative Hindu population compelled by sites that speak to the existence of an all-India Hindu culture, the Char Dham has become an important destination for pilgrims from throughout [[South Asia]] and the diaspora, particularly [[Bengali people|Bengalis]], [[Marwari]]s, [[Gujarati people|Gujarati]]s, [[Delhi]]tes and people from [[Uttar Pradesh|U.P]], and of course citizens of [[Uttarakhand]].
 +
 
 +
Currently, the Char Dham sees upwards of 250,000 visitors in an average pilgrimage season, which lasts from approximately April 15 until [[Diwali]] (sometime in November). The pilgrimage season has the heaviest traffic in the two-month period before the monsoon. Once the rains come (sometime in late July), travel becomes extremely dangerous: extensive road building has critically destabilized the rocks, and fatal landslides and bus/jeep accidents occur regularly every year, with mortality rates for a season often surpassing 200.  
  
Today, the Char Dham sees upwards of 250,000 unique visitors in an average pilgrimage season, which lasts from approximately April 15 until [[Diwali]] (sometime in November). The season is heaviest in the two-month period before the monsoon. Once the rains come (sometime in late July), travel is extremely dangerous: extensive road building has critically destabilized the rocks, and fatal landslides and bus/jeep accidents are a regular yearly occurrence, with mortality rates for a season often surpassing 200. Despite the danger, pilgrims do continue to visit the Char Dham in the monsoon period, as well as after the rains end. Although temperatures at the shrines in the early winter months (October and November) are inhospitable, it is said that the incredible mountain scenery that surrounds the sites is most vivid after the rains have had a chance to moisten the dust of the plains below.
+
Despite the danger, pilgrims continue to visit the Char Dham in the monsoon period, as well as after the rains end. Although [[temperature]]s at the shrines in the early winter months (October and November) prove inhospitable, the incredible mountain scenery that surrounds the sites has the most vividness after the rains have moistened the dust of the plains below.
  
 
==Pilgrimage centers==
 
==Pilgrimage centers==
Most pilgrims to the Char Dham embark from the famous temple town of [[Haridwar]]. Others leave from Haridwar's sister city, Rishikesh, or from Dehra Duhn, the capital of Uttarakhand. From there, the tradition is to visit the sites in the following order:  
+
[[Image:24087843_e9c062d324_b.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Men's baths. Bathing in the waters of the Yamuna at her source (Yamunotri) guarantees a painless death.]]
 +
Most pilgrims to the Char Dham embark from the famous temple town of [[Haridwar]]. Others leave from Haridwar's sister city, Rishikesh, or from Dehra Duhn, the capital of Uttarakhand. From there, pilgrims traditionally visit the sites in the following order:
  
 
=== Yamunotri ===
 
=== Yamunotri ===
[[Image:24087843_e9c062d324_b.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Men's baths. Bathing in the waters of the Yamuna at her source (Yamunotri) guarantees a painless death.]]
+
Yamunotri, the source of the [[Yamuna]] River and the seat of the goddess Yamuna, lay a full day's journey from [[Rishikesh]], Haridwar or [[Dehradun]]. The temple requires walking six kilometers from the town of Hanuman Chatti. Pilgrims may hire horses or palanquins. The current temple had been rebuilt recently, as past structures have been destroyed by the weather and elements. A few small ashrams and guest houses at the temple provide lodging. The Uniyal family of ''pujaris'' (priests) perform ritual duties such as the making and distribution of ''[[prasad]]'' (sanctified offerings) and the supervision of ''[[puja]]s'' (ritual veneration). The cooking of rice and making of prasad marks one of the unique aspects of ritual practice at the site include hot springs.
Yamunotri, the source of the [[Yamuna]] River and the seat of the goddess Yamuna, is a full day's journey from [[Rishikesh]], Haridwar or [[Dehradun]]. The actual temple is only accessible by a six km walk from the town of Hanuman Chatti (horses or palanquins are available for rent). The current temple is of recent origin, as past iterations have been destroyed by the weather and elements. Lodging at the temple itself is limited to a few small ashrams and guesthouses. Ritual duties such as the making and distribution of ''[[prasad]]'' (sanctified offerings) and the supervision of ''[[puja]]s'' (ritual venerations) are performed by the Uniyal family of ''pujaris'' (priests). Unique aspects of ritual practice at the site include hot springs where raw rice is cooked and made into prasad.
 
  
 
===Gangotri===
 
===Gangotri===
[[Image:Bhairon at Kedarnath.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Kedarnath]]
+
[[Image:Bhairon at Kedarnath.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Kedarnath]]
Gangotri, the source of the [[Ganges River|Ganga]] (Ganges) River and seat of the goddess Ganga, can be reached in one day's travel from [[Rishikesh]], Haridwar or Dehra Duhn, or in two days from Yamunotri. More popular and important than its sister site to the east, Gangotri is also accessible directly by car and bus, meaning that it sees many more pilgrims. A small village of guesthouses and restaurants serves the pilgrim community. Ritual duties are supervised by the Semwal family of pujaris. The aarti ceremony at the Gangotri is especially impressive, as is the temple, a stately affair that sits on the banks of the rushing Ganga (Ganges River). Adventurous pilgrims can make an overnight 17 km trek to Gaumukh, the actual current source of the Ganga.
+
Gangotri, the source of the [[Ganges River|Ganga]] (Ganges) River and seat of the goddess Ganga, lies one day's travel from [[Rishikesh]], Haridwar or Dehra Duhn, or in two days from Yamunotri. More popular and important than its sister site to the east, Gangotri may be accessed directly by car and bus, allowing many more pilgrims to make the trip easily. A small village of guest houses and restaurants serves the pilgrim community. The Semwal family of pujaris supervise Ritual duties. The aarti ceremony at the Gangotri especially impresses visitors, as does the temple, a stately affair that sits on the banks of the rushing Ganga (Ganges River). Adventurous pilgrims can make an overnight 17 km trek to Gaumukh, the actual source of the Ganga.
  
 
===Kedarnath===
 
===Kedarnath===
Kedarnath, where a form of the Hindu god [[Shiva]] is venerated as one of the twelve ''[[jyotirling]]'' ([[linga]] of light), is a two-day's journey from either Gangotri or one of the main disembarkation points on the plains. Besides its affiliation with Siva, Kedarnath is also believed to be the site of [[Shankaracharya]]'s ''samadhi'' (place of enternment). The actual temple, an impressive stone edifice of unknown date, is accessible only after a steep 13 km walk (horses or palanquins are available for rent). The most remote of the four Char Dham sites, Kedarnath is flanked by breathtaking snow-capped peaks. No specific family of pujaris supervises rituals at Kedarnath, which focus around veneration of the stone lingam that rests in the inner sanctum of the temple.
+
Kedarnath, where devotees venerate a form of the Hindu god [[Shiva]] as one of the twelve ''[[jyotirling]]'' ([[linga]] of light), requires a two-day journey from either Gangotri or one of the main disembarkation points on the plains. Besides its affiliation with Siva, legend points to Kedarnath as the site of [[Shankaracharya]]'s ''samadhi'' (place of internment). The temple, an impressive stone edifice of unknown date, requires a steep 13 km walk (horses or palanquins may be rented). The most remote of the four Char Dham sites, breathtaking snow-capped peaks flank Kedarnath. No specific family of pujaris supervises rituals at Kedarnath, which focuses around veneration of the stone lingam that rests in the inner sanctum of the temple.
   
+
 
 
===[[Badrinath temple|Badrinath]]===
 
===[[Badrinath temple|Badrinath]]===
[[Image:Badrinath temple.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Badrinath temple]]
 
[[Badrinath]], the seat of the Hindu god [[Vishnu]] in his aspect of Badrinarayan, is generally a two-day's journey from either Kedarnath or one of the main disembarkation points on the plains. By far the most important of the four Char Dham sites, Badrinath receives many more visitors than the other three sites. As the route to Badrinath is for much of the way also the route to [[Hemkund Sahib]], an important [[Sikh]] pilgrimage site, the road to Badrinath is especially crowded. The temple and its substantial surrounding village are accessible by road. The actual temple is a striking building whose bright colors evoke the painted Buddhist ghompas of the region; rumor has it that the temple was originally controlled by Buddhists.
 
 
  
 +
[[Badrinath]], the seat of the Hindu god [[Vishnu]] in his aspect of Badrinarayan, generally requires a two-day's journey from either Kedarnath or one of the main disembarkation points on the plains. By far the most important of the four Char Dham sites, Badrinath receives many more visitors than the other three sites. As the route to Badrinath doubles for much of the way as the route to [[Hemkund Sahib]], an important [[Sikh]] pilgrimage site, the road to Badrinath especially attacks crowds. The temple and its substantial surrounding village may be reached by road. The actual temple, a striking building with bright [[color]]s, evokes the painted Buddhist ghompas of the region; rumor has it that Buddhists originally controlled the temple.
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
* Katyal, Satish, and Vinod Suneja. 2000s. Yatra char dham. New Delhi: Jorden Electronics. OCLC 226052489.
+
* Katyal, Satish, and Vinod Suneja. 2000. ''Yatra char dham''. New Delhi: Jorden Electronics. OCLC 226052489
* Khullar, Reeta, and Rupinder Khullar. 2004. Gateway to the Gods, Haridwar-Rishikesh: Yamunotri-Gangotri-Kedarnath-Badrinath. Dehradun: Uttaranchal Tourism and UBS Publisher's Distributors, New Delhi. ISBN 9788174764607.
+
* Khullar, Reeta, and Rupinder Khullar. 2004. ''Gateway to the Gods, Haridwar-Rishikesh: Yamunotri-Gangotri-Kedarnath-Badrinath''. Dehradun: Uttaranchal Tourism and UBS Publisher's Distributors, New Delhi. ISBN 9788174764607
* Khullar, Sangeeta, and Ajay Khullar. 2008. Pilgrim destination, Uttarakhand. New Delhi: UBS Publisher's Distributors. ISBN 9788174766076.
+
* Khullar, Sangeeta, and Ajay Khullar. 2008. ''Pilgrim destination, Uttarakhand''. New Delhi: UBS Publisher's Distributors. ISBN 9788174766076
* Saili, Ganesh. 1996. C̄hār Dhām̄: home of the Gods. [India]: Indus. ISBN 9788172232245.
+
* Saili, Ganesh. 1996. ''C̄hār Dhām̄: home of the Gods''. India: Indus. ISBN 9788172232245
* Sivananda. 1953. Pilgrimage to Badri and Kailas; a handy guidebook to the principal centres of pilgrimage in the Himalayas- Badri, Kedar, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Mt. Kailas, Manasarovar and Amarnath. Ananda Kutir, Rikhikesh: Yoga-Vedanta Forest University. OCLC 20711582.
+
* Sivananda. 1953. ''Pilgrimage to Badri and Kailas; a handy guidebook to the principal centres of pilgrimage in the Himalayas- Badri, Kedar, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Mt. Kailas, Manasarovar and Amarnath''. Ananda Kutir, Rikhikesh: Yoga-Vedanta Forest University. OCLC 20711582
* Suryanarayana Sastry, T. 1981. A guide to pilgrimage to Uttar Khand: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedar & Badri. T.T.D. religious publications series, no. 106. Tirupati: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. OCLC 11468701.
+
* Suryanarayana Sastry, T. 1981. ''A guide to pilgrimage to Uttar Khand: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedar & Badri''. T.T.D. religious publications series, no. 106. Tirupati: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. OCLC 11468701
* Venkatraman, G. R. 1988. Chār dhām yātra = Ecstatic flight into Himalayas. Bombay: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. OCLC 20265368.
+
* Venkatraman, G. R. 1988. C''hār dhām yātra = Ecstatic flight into Himalayas''. Bombay: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. OCLC 20265368
  
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
* [http://www.char-dham.com/ Char Dham]. Retrieved June 14, 2008.
+
All links retrieved February 1, 2017.
* [http://www.gangotri-chardham.com/Gangotri-Char Dam]. Retrieved June 14, 2008.
+
* [http://www.char-dham.com/ Char Dham]  
* [http://travelharidwar.blogspot.com/ Char Dham]. Retrieved June 14, 2008.
+
* [http://travelharidwar.blogspot.com/ Haridwar : A holy place in India]  
* [http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/char-dham-yatra-787.html Char Dham Yatra]. Retrieved June 14, 2008.
+
* [http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/char-dham-yatra-787.html Char Dham Yatra]  
* [http://www.chardham.com/ Char Dham Pilgrimage]. Retrieved June 14, 2008.
+
* [http://www.chardham.com/ Char Dham Pilgrimage Tours]  
 
 
 
[[Category:Religion]]
 
[[Category:Religion]]
 
[[Category:Sites of religious pilgrimages]]
 
[[Category:Sites of religious pilgrimages]]
  
 
{{credits|218829273}}
 
{{credits|218829273}}

Revision as of 20:29, 9 January 2020


Badrinath temple

The Char Dham ('the four abodes/seats') constitutes the most important Hindu pilgrimage circuit in the Indian Himalayas. Located in the Garhwal section of the state of Uttarakhand (formerly the northwestern section of Uttar Pradesh), the circuit consists of four sites: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. Each site has its own unique characteristics. Yet their inclusion in the Char Dham has, over time, inclined them be viewed together in popular imagination and actual pilgrimage practice. 250,000 pilgrims made the journey annually. Most pilgrims take the journey between March and late July, when monsoon season begins. After October, winter snow makes the trip difficult and dangerous.

All four pilgrimage sites sit in the Himalayas, previously difficult to reach, requiring a two month hike. During that time, only wandering ascetics, Hindu masters, and wealthy devotees with an entourage made the pilgrimage. Since the Sino-Indian War of 1962, when India made road improvements in the region to conduct campaigns against China, travel to the sites has become easier for pilgrims.

Pilgrimage has a long tradition in Hinduism. The region of Char Dham, in the Himalayas, represents one of the most holy of pilgrimage routes in India for Hindus. Originally established by Adi Sankara in the seventh century C.E. to cover India, the current smaller route has replaced the earlier one. The purpose of the pilgrimage is to give the pilgrim an experience of Self (Atman) and Brahmin (the Whole).

Origins

Haridwar, on the banks of river Ganga, serves as a gateway to the famed Char Dham (four abodes of the Lord) shrines situated in the Upper Himalayas, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.

The origins of the Char Dham remain obscure. The appellation Char Dham had been reserved for India's most famous pilgrimage circuit, four important temples—Puri, Rameshwaram, Dwarka, and Badrinath. They had been grouped together by the great eighth-century reformer and philosopher Shankaracharya (Adi Sankara) as the archetypal All-India pilgrimage circuit to the four cardinal points of the subcontinent.

Badrinath, the last visited and the most important of the four sites in the original Char Dham, also became the cornerstone site of a Himalayan pilgrimage circuit dubbed the Chota (little) Char Dham. Unlike the original Char Dham, the sites of the Chota Char Dham have their own, separate sectarian affiliation. The three major sectarian movements in modern devotional Hinduism have representation, with the Vaishnava site Badrinath joined by one Shaiva site (Kedarnath) and two Devi sites (Yamunotri and Gangotri).

Recent History

As late as the mid-twentieth century, devotees consistently still used the "Chota" designation to designate the Himalayan version of the Char Dham. That usage reflects the importance of the circuit for most of its history. Accessible until recent times only after a two-month trek, the Chota Char Dham had been long dominated by wandering ascetics and religious masters, along with a handful of devoted retirees and wealthy patrons (who could afford an entourage).

While the individual sites and the circuit as a whole hold importance to Hindus on the plains below, they held less significance for year round religious devotion and practice. After the 1962 war between India and China, accessibility to the Chota Char Dham improved drastically. India efforts conducting the war required investment to develop Himalayan infrastructure. As pilgrim buses began to arrive, the Chota appendix seems to have dropped away, though the prefix "Himalayan" (Hindi: Himalaya ki Char Dham) often has been added to avoid confusion.

Pilgrimage

Gangotri: Wonderfully hot waters for men (women's bath inside) with Parashar temple above.

With infrastructure improvements, the importance of the Char Dham as both an religious destination and an object of the national Hindu religious imagination has increased significantly. Buoyed by the development of new forms of "religious tourism," and by the rise of a conservative Hindu population compelled by sites that speak to the existence of an all-India Hindu culture, the Char Dham has become an important destination for pilgrims from throughout South Asia and the diaspora, particularly Bengalis, Marwaris, Gujaratis, Delhites and people from U.P, and of course citizens of Uttarakhand.

Currently, the Char Dham sees upwards of 250,000 visitors in an average pilgrimage season, which lasts from approximately April 15 until Diwali (sometime in November). The pilgrimage season has the heaviest traffic in the two-month period before the monsoon. Once the rains come (sometime in late July), travel becomes extremely dangerous: extensive road building has critically destabilized the rocks, and fatal landslides and bus/jeep accidents occur regularly every year, with mortality rates for a season often surpassing 200.

Despite the danger, pilgrims continue to visit the Char Dham in the monsoon period, as well as after the rains end. Although temperatures at the shrines in the early winter months (October and November) prove inhospitable, the incredible mountain scenery that surrounds the sites has the most vividness after the rains have moistened the dust of the plains below.

Pilgrimage centers

Men's baths. Bathing in the waters of the Yamuna at her source (Yamunotri) guarantees a painless death.

Most pilgrims to the Char Dham embark from the famous temple town of Haridwar. Others leave from Haridwar's sister city, Rishikesh, or from Dehra Duhn, the capital of Uttarakhand. From there, pilgrims traditionally visit the sites in the following order:

Yamunotri

Yamunotri, the source of the Yamuna River and the seat of the goddess Yamuna, lay a full day's journey from Rishikesh, Haridwar or Dehradun. The temple requires walking six kilometers from the town of Hanuman Chatti. Pilgrims may hire horses or palanquins. The current temple had been rebuilt recently, as past structures have been destroyed by the weather and elements. A few small ashrams and guest houses at the temple provide lodging. The Uniyal family of pujaris (priests) perform ritual duties such as the making and distribution of prasad (sanctified offerings) and the supervision of pujas (ritual veneration). The cooking of rice and making of prasad marks one of the unique aspects of ritual practice at the site include hot springs.

Gangotri

Kedarnath

Gangotri, the source of the Ganga (Ganges) River and seat of the goddess Ganga, lies one day's travel from Rishikesh, Haridwar or Dehra Duhn, or in two days from Yamunotri. More popular and important than its sister site to the east, Gangotri may be accessed directly by car and bus, allowing many more pilgrims to make the trip easily. A small village of guest houses and restaurants serves the pilgrim community. The Semwal family of pujaris supervise Ritual duties. The aarti ceremony at the Gangotri especially impresses visitors, as does the temple, a stately affair that sits on the banks of the rushing Ganga (Ganges River). Adventurous pilgrims can make an overnight 17 km trek to Gaumukh, the actual source of the Ganga.

Kedarnath

Kedarnath, where devotees venerate a form of the Hindu god Shiva as one of the twelve jyotirling (linga of light), requires a two-day journey from either Gangotri or one of the main disembarkation points on the plains. Besides its affiliation with Siva, legend points to Kedarnath as the site of Shankaracharya's samadhi (place of internment). The temple, an impressive stone edifice of unknown date, requires a steep 13 km walk (horses or palanquins may be rented). The most remote of the four Char Dham sites, breathtaking snow-capped peaks flank Kedarnath. No specific family of pujaris supervises rituals at Kedarnath, which focuses around veneration of the stone lingam that rests in the inner sanctum of the temple.

Badrinath

Badrinath, the seat of the Hindu god Vishnu in his aspect of Badrinarayan, generally requires a two-day's journey from either Kedarnath or one of the main disembarkation points on the plains. By far the most important of the four Char Dham sites, Badrinath receives many more visitors than the other three sites. As the route to Badrinath doubles for much of the way as the route to Hemkund Sahib, an important Sikh pilgrimage site, the road to Badrinath especially attacks crowds. The temple and its substantial surrounding village may be reached by road. The actual temple, a striking building with bright colors, evokes the painted Buddhist ghompas of the region; rumor has it that Buddhists originally controlled the temple.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Katyal, Satish, and Vinod Suneja. 2000. Yatra char dham. New Delhi: Jorden Electronics. OCLC 226052489
  • Khullar, Reeta, and Rupinder Khullar. 2004. Gateway to the Gods, Haridwar-Rishikesh: Yamunotri-Gangotri-Kedarnath-Badrinath. Dehradun: Uttaranchal Tourism and UBS Publisher's Distributors, New Delhi. ISBN 9788174764607
  • Khullar, Sangeeta, and Ajay Khullar. 2008. Pilgrim destination, Uttarakhand. New Delhi: UBS Publisher's Distributors. ISBN 9788174766076
  • Saili, Ganesh. 1996. C̄hār Dhām̄: home of the Gods. India: Indus. ISBN 9788172232245
  • Sivananda. 1953. Pilgrimage to Badri and Kailas; a handy guidebook to the principal centres of pilgrimage in the Himalayas- Badri, Kedar, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Mt. Kailas, Manasarovar and Amarnath. Ananda Kutir, Rikhikesh: Yoga-Vedanta Forest University. OCLC 20711582
  • Suryanarayana Sastry, T. 1981. A guide to pilgrimage to Uttar Khand: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedar & Badri. T.T.D. religious publications series, no. 106. Tirupati: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. OCLC 11468701
  • Venkatraman, G. R. 1988. Chār dhām yātra = Ecstatic flight into Himalayas. Bombay: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. OCLC 20265368

External Links

All links retrieved February 1, 2017.

Credits

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.