In India, the Hindus believe that the Char Dham tour opens the gates of salvation by washing away all their sins. It is also believed that this journey must be undertaken at least once in a lifetime. These four shrines have a great significance and place in Hindu mythology.
The Chardham Yatra of Uttarakhand can be easily called as one of the most popular pilgrimage circuits of India. Every year, around the same time, the routes to the Chardham or the four most sacred places of the Indian Himalayas are opened for the pilgrims to trek to. Four of these places, namely Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath, are all situated in the state of Uttarakhand.
An archetypal All-India pilgrimage circuit, the formation of the original Char Dham is credited to the great 8th century reformer and philosopher Shankaracharya (Adi Sankara). In the original Char Dham, three of the four sites are Vaishnava (Puri, Dwarka and Badrinath) while one is Shaiva (Rameswaram). However in new age the Chardham Yatra involves Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.
As per Hindu Mythology, You have to Visit Kedarnath first(Because Lord Shiva provided the space for lord Vishnu(Badrinath) in Dev Bhumi Uttrakhand so Kedarnath is first.
Badrinath or Badrinarayana Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu which is situated in the town of Badrinath in Uttarakhand, India. The temple is also one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Badrinath holy shrines for Vaishnavites.
Located at an altitude of 3,100mts, Gangotri Temple, the highest temple dedicated to Goddess Ganga, is one of the four Chota Char Dham Yatra pilgrimage sites in Uttarakhand. Goddess Ganga is the personification of the revered Ganga River. The peaceful white temple is surrounded by Deodar and pines and the Greater Himalayan Range. The holy river Bhagirathi, which is one of the two head-streams of Ganga, flows alongside Gangotri Temple.
Yamunotri Dham, named after the Goddess Yamuna, is the first Dham en route the yatra. A bath in the holy waters of Yamuna river is said to cleanse one of all sins and protect from untimely death.
May to June and September to October are considered the best months to visit Kedarnath. The path leading to the temple gets highly dangerous during peak monsoons as landslides and floods are very common during this time of the year.
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