Chota Char Dham is a major Hindu pilgrimage circuit in Uttarakhand, India’s Himalayan region. The circuit is located in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand and covers four sites: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. One of the most significant Hindu pilgrimage routes in India is the Chota Char Dham. It is thought that visiting these locations aids in receiving moksha (salvation).
The significance of Chota Char Dham
Yamunotri: The attraction of the Yamunotri temple is located on the bank of the Yamuna river of the Uttarkashi district in the Garhwal Division of Uttarakhand, Temple was devoted to Goddess Yamuna with a black marble idol of the Goddess it was constructed for the first time by Amar Singh Thapa in the 18th-century.
Gangotri: The Ganges River begins in Gangotri, which is also the home of the goddess Ganga. At its source, the river is referred to as Bhagirathi, but once it meets the Alaknanda River in Devprayag, it takes on the name Ganga (the Ganges). Amar Sing Thapa, the senior commander of the Nepal Army, established the original Gangotri Temple, the seat of Goddess Ganga, in the 18th century. Aarti is performed both inside the temple and on the river’s bank in honour of Ganga.
Kedarnath: Temple is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, most sacred shrines of Lord Shiva, the temple was built by the Pandavas and restored by
Adi Sankaracharya. The temple and surrounding complex were worst affected by the 2013 flash flood, Temple is located near the Mandakini River in the Himalayan range of the Garhwal Division and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is only open from the end of April (Akshaya Tritiya) to November (Kartik Purnima). Millions of devotees travel to the four locations each year as they are thought to be the most revered in India.
Badrinath: Temple is described in ancient religious texts including the Skanda Purana and the Vishnu Purana. As one of the 108 Diya Desams dedicated to Lord Vishnu, who is worshipped as a birdbath, the Badrinath Temple, also known as the Badrinarayanan Temple, is located in the Himalayan town of Badrinath in the state of Uttarakhand.
