Why Chardham Yatra important?
Chardham yatra is a pilgrimage of four sacred Hindu temples situated in four different regions of India. The four destinations are called Char Dham and the temples are Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. These holy places are also known as “the Chardham” or “the Chota Char Dham”.
People who take a chardham yatra visit all these places in a single trip. It is not considered complete unless all the destinations were visited. In order to do so, they have to follow a specific sequence where one visits the first temple from north to south and then from south to north
Chardham Yatra is a pilgrimage in India. It consists of four Hindu temples, known as the Char Dham, located in the Garhwal region in the state of Uttarakhand.
The Chardham Yatra can be done either on foot or by bicycle. The pilgrims have to travel about 1,200 kilometers to complete it. In the yatra, pilgrims need to carry a metal pot with them with water and food for their journey.
Step by Step Guide on How to Prepare for the Chardham Yatra
The Chardham Yatra is a religious pilgrimage, which everyone needs to prepare for. This includes coming up with a chardham expedition checklist that has all the necessary items for the yatra.
A. Preparation
– Location: Check out India map and find out which directions you need to travel in order to visit the four sacred sites, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. You can also use Google maps or another mapping app of your choice for this purpose.
Clothing: Pack clothes that are light enough to wear during the day but warm enough for night time temperatures as well as any expected weather conditions. You want clothes that are not only comfortable but also durable enough to withstand wear and tear during your journey. –
Nowadays, it is not enough to just pack your bags and head out to the hills. If you want to prepare for a successful and enjoyable Chardham Yatra, there are a few things that you need to do before the pilgrimage begins.
The checklist includes 4 crucial steps:
– Pack your essentials
– Find the right footwear
– Choose the necessary gears
– Create your itinerary
Best Pilgrimage Destinations in India with Photos and Guidelines
India is a land of many religions and pilgrims make a beeline to India every year.
With this list of some of the best Pilgrimage destinations in India, you’ll never run out of places to go!
This list contains some of the most beautiful pilgrimage sites in India with pictures and guidelines. We have tried our best to compile a list that will enable you to plan your next pilgrimage.
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of moral or spiritual significance. The word “pilgrimage” comes from the Latin word “pilgrim” which means a person who is on a journey to a holy place.
What is Chardham Yatra?
The Chardham pilgrimage is an annual pilgrimage that involves visiting the four Hindu shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri. Pilgrims are expected to walk barefoot on the journey which is believed to be holy and purifying.
The journey begins in April and concludes in November. The pilgrimage is considered incomplete if it does not include all four temples.
The Chardham Pilgrimage is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in India.
The Chardham Pilgrimage consists of four sacred Hindu temples, known as the Char Dham, which are perched high up on the Himalayas in Uttarakhand. The Char Dham comprises Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. People from all over the world come to these holy sites for a spiritual experience that is unmatched by anything else.
How to Plan Your Own Chardham Tour?
If you are planning to visit India and you want to explore the country, our tours would be a perfect option for you.
India is a vast country and there are plenty of tourist destinations that can be explored. So it can be difficult for first-time visitors to choose where they would like to go.
Planning your own tour can save you time, money, and effort.
Planning a trip to a different country can be a daunting task, especially if it is the first time that you are going. The following guide will provide you with some tips to make your trip as seamless as possible!
India is one of the most richly diverse and culturally influential countries in the world. With so much to see and do, it’s difficult to know where to start when planning a tour! In this article, we’ll go through our top five destinations for first-time visitors
Day- 1-Delhi to haridwar
Delhi to Haridwar is a distance of 739km and the first day of your journey will take you around 4-5 hours on a bus or train.
Delhi to Haridwar: Delhi is the capital city and Haridwar is a Hindu pilgrimage town, so it is quite popular among tourists.
The first day of your journey will take you around 4-5 hours on a bus or train as the distance between Delhi and Haridwar is 739km. You can also opt for some other mode of transport such as flight, but that will cost more than taking the bus or train.
Train: The Indian Railways have one of the largest railway networks in the world. There are regular services between Delhi to Haridwar by train too.
Bus: One can also take buses between these two cities which are available very frequently throughout the day from different bus stations in Delhi like ISBT Anand Vihar or ISBT Kashmiri Gate etc..
Airline: One can travel by flight
Day-2-Haridwarto Barkot
Barkot is a city in Uttarakhand that was once a major pilgrimage centre but now sees few visitors due to the road construction making it difficult for pilgrims to walk.
bus: The Haridwar Municipal Corporation runs buses from Haridwar bus stand at regular intervals throughout the day.
Taxi: A taxi ride from Haridwar Railway Station or Haridwar Bus Stand to Barkot will cost you around INR 2000-2500 depending on your bargaining skills
Travellers who are looking for an enjoyable long distance bus journey can take this route. They can enjoy the landscapes, visit temples, interact with locals and taste local cuisine. Travellers who are looking for an adventurous journey should take a cab or share taxi on this route which will take them up steep inclines and down hills.
Day-3-Barkot to Gangotri
The journey from Gangotri to Day-3-Barkot is not much easier.The bus from Barkot to Gantok is the only one that leaves at 7 AM in the morning. It has a capacity of 10 passengers and can get really crowded, which means that you will be sitting on the floor.
Private taxis are also available for this route, but they cost more than buses and are not guaranteed to go all the way without stopping.
This is a guide for people who want to travel to the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand. Traveling by bus may be cheaper, but it will take more time. Traveling by private taxi is more expensive, but it will get you there in less time.
Day-3-Barkot to Gangotri by bus
While traveling by bus, the route starts from Day 3 which is the last stop of the Uttarakhand Express train at Barkot. To reach Barkot, take a flight to Dehradun airport, drive down to Haridwar or Rishikesh and then start your journey from there.
Private taxi
The private taxi takes about 6 hours and 45 minutes with an approximate cost of INR 4300-4500 per
Day-4 – Gangotri to uttarkashi
Starting from the mouth of the Gangotri, Uttarkashi is located at a distance of about 80 km. Gangotri is a sacred place for Hindus and Buddhists. The auspicious thing about this town is that it has a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Road journey from Gangotri to Uttarkashi takes around 3 hours and it passes through many villages and towns. The first major stop on the way is Gauri Kund which has been built as a memorial for Gauri – Laxman’s wife who used to live there as a hermit with her son Anshuman.
Day-6 Sitapur to gaurikund/kedarnath
Sitapur to Gaurikund is a 6 hours journey, whereas Sitapur to Kedarnath is an 8 hour journey.
The article also mentions the temples in the region which are worth visiting.
A detailed route map of this route is given below.
Sitapur to gaurikund/kedarnath by road:
1) Sitapur – Gopeshwar – Rudraprayag – kedarnath – Gaurikund- Rudraprayag – Sitapur
2) Sitapur – Garhwalisar-Thalassery-kotiya-Thalisaini-Gopeshwar-Rudraprayag
3) Sitapur – Rudraprayag
Day 6: Sitapur to Gaurikund/Kedarnath by Road
From Sitapur, the road is a 4-lane highway and passes through many small villages and towns – it is a scenic drive even though you’ll be driving past rice fields, villages and small towns. The road is very well maintained.
7to 8-Day-Rudraprayad/Badrinath
Rudraprayag and Badrinath are two holy Hindu pilgrimage sites in Uttarakhand. People generally visit these places by foot or car.
People who want to explore the scenic beauty of this region can make a 8-day journey along the route covering Rudraprayag and Badrinath. The journey starts from Rishikesh, which is situated on the banks of river Ganga. It then heads towards Kedarnath temple before reaching Rudraprayag town. From here, it proceeds towards Badrinath, which is situated on the banks of river Alaknanda.
9-Day-Badrinath/Birhi
The Badrinath Temple is located in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, India. The temple is situated on the banks of the Alaknanda River at an elevation of 3,133 metres.
The temple is on National Highway 58 close to Govindghat and approximately 138 kilometers from Rishikesh. It can be reached by road either from Kotdwar or from Haridwar via Rudraprayag which are located at a distance of approximately 105 kilometers and 123 kilometers respectively.
It is possible to reach Badrinath Temple on foot by ascending along the left bank of this tributary. It is also possible to trek up to Govindghat and then
10-Day-Birhi to rishikesh
For travelers who do not like to go by air, the Birhi to rishikesh road trip is an experience of a lifetime.
It starts at the foothills of the Himalayan range and goes through small villages, rivers, forested mountainsides and plains before ending at the Ganga River. The Birhi to Rishikesh road trip is an experience that will give you enough time to enjoy every moment on your journey.
Birhi to Rishikesh is a Hindu pilgrimage and it is believed that good karma will come to those who undertake this journey.
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