Char Dham Pilgrimage
The Char Dham Yatra, or, more specifically, Chota Char Dham Yatra, in ‘The land of the Gods’, Uttarakhand destines to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. En route to Char Dham, there are several other spots of religious importance that are spiritually rewarding. Here are the necessary details of the pilgrimage checklists from the beginning to the end of the Char Dham Yatra.
The onset of the journey to the Holy Shrines usually begins with the holy dip in the sacred Ganges at Haridwar to purify the soul and body.
1. Haridwar
• Har ki Pauri - It is considered to be one of the most sacred banks of the Ganga, where bathing at least once washes away the sins and opens the way to attain Moksha. At this place, the River Ganga, flowing through the Himalayas first reaches the plains of earth. Another spiritual attraction of the ghat is the evening Ganga Aarti.
• Mansa Devi Temple - The temple is built in reverence of Goddess Mansa Devi, who is believed to have emerged from the mind of Lord Shiva. Settled on the top of Bilwa Parvat in the Shivalik Hills, Mansa Devi symbolises power.
• Chandi Devi Temple - Located atop the Neel Parvat in Shivalik Hills, the temple was built in the year 1929 and the idol of Chandi Devi was installed in the early 8th Century. Cable cars through the ropeway lead to the temple and are yet another attraction of the spot.
• Bharat Mata Mandir - The temple is dedicated to Mother India and is located at the heart of Haridwar. Bharat Mata mandir is believed to be built by Shri Adi Shankaracharya and there are several Hindu Gods presiding inside the shrine along with Lord Vishnu.
• Maya Devi Mandir - The temple is one among the three Shaktipeeth in Haridwar and is said to be constructed in the 11th century. The shrine was built in reverence to Goddess Maya Devi, who is the incarnation of absolute power. The structure of the idol encompasses three heads, four arms. Along with the deity of Maya Devi, the idols of Goddess Kali and Goddess Kamakhya are also present in the temple.
• Daksha Mahadev Temple - The temple is named after the ruler Daksha Prajapati, the father of Sati, who was the first wife of Lord Shiva. Daksha Mahadev Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and a huge crowd of devotees visit the temple in the month of Sawan in August and during Mahashivratri.
2. Rishikesh
• Neelkanth Mahadev Temple - Neelkanth is referred to Lord Shiva, hence the temple is devoted to Lord Shiva. The temple can be reached by crossing the Lakshman Jhula and devotees offer the holy water of the Ganges to Lord Shiva.
• Bharat Mandir - The temple is a blend of spiritual as well as architectural wonder. Discovered by Adi Shankaracharya in the 12th Century, the shrine is the abode of Lord Vishnu.
• Kunjapuri Devi Mandir - The temple is dedicated to Goddess Parvati and is perched atop Kunjapuri Hill. along with the spiritual vibe, the temple place also offers a spectacular panoramic view.
• Tera Manzil Temple - It is a 13-storeyed temple, also known as Trayambakeshwar Temple. The temple building is located quite close to the Lakshman Jhula. This architectural marvel is the house of several Hindu gods and goddesses.
• Raghunath Temple - The temple is located near the Triveni Ghat and is the worship place of Lord Ram and Mother Sita. there is a small hot water spring near the temple, named Rishi Kund. lord Ram is said to have taken a bath in this pond during his exile.
• Virbhadra Temple - Another significant place of worship in Rishikesh, the Virbhadra Temple abodes the ferocious avatar of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva turned aggressive when Goddess Sati jumped into the fire of yagna kund to sacrifice her life.
• Bhootnath Temple - Lord Shiva is worshipped in the temple. According to the legends, Lord Shiva rested in this place before going to marry Goddess Sati.
On the way to Yamuntri Dham
1. Tehri
• Chandrabadni Temple - Chandrabadni Devi, after whom the temple is named is considered to be a powerful goddess and is worshipped by many, especially women.
• Surkanda Devi Temple - The temple is dedicated to Sati Devi and is located in the Tehri Garhwal district. Childless women offer oblation to the goddess to be blessed with a baby.
On the way to Gangotri Dham
1. Uttarkashi
• Vishwanath Temple - One of the most popular and of unparalleled spiritual significance, the temple is the residing place of Lord Shiva. The Vishwanath temple is counted among the ancient temples of India. The deity of the lord is said to have emerged from the earth on its known and is known as swayambhu. The age of the temple structure is said to be more than 350 years, built by King Pradyuman Shah. Lord Shiva is worshipped every day here and is visited by a significant number of devotees regularly.
2. Harshil
• Ekadash Rudra Temple - It is located on the banks of river Bhagirathi, in Hanuman Chowk, Uttarkashi. Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati reside in the shrine is a must-visit on the way to Gangotri Dham. the temple also abodes idols of Ganesha and Nandi and was built by the Queen of Jaipur in 1901 AD.
On the way to Kedarnath Dham
1. Devprayag
• Raghunath Temple - The presiding source of the devotion of the temple is Lord Ram, his wife Mother Sita and his brother Lord Lakshman. The beauty of the temple beholds in the architectural genius, which has the touch of both South Indian and Buddhist techniques.
• Kyunkaleshwar Mahadev Temple - Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati are the presiding deities of the shrine, along with their two sons, Ganesha and Karthika. It was built by Adiguru Shri Shankaracharya.
2. Srinagar
• Kamleshwar Temple - The main temple houses Ganga, Saraswati, Nandi and Annapurna deities and in the inner sanctum, the idol of Lord Shiva is placed. During Karthik Chaturdashi, childless women offer prayers to Lord Shiva by standing and holding ghee lams in the temple for the entire night. By doing so, it is believed that women are blessed with children. The temple also adjoins some mythological stories behind the name of the temple.
Other temples present in Srinagar are Chopra Mandir, Dhari Devi Mandir, Kandoliya Temple, Kansmardini Temple, Vishnu Mohini Mandir, etc.
3. Rudraprayag
• Tunganath Temple - Perched on the Chandrashila Peak, at an elevation of 3810 metres from the sea level. The temple is one among the Panch Kedar, where the arm of Lord Shiva had emerged. Reaching the temple involves a strenuous trek. The temple is believed to be raised by Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers, and dates back more than 1000 years.
4. Gaurikund
• Gaurikund Temple - The temple is dedicated to Goddess Gauri or Parvati, wife of Lord Shiva. Parvati Mata is said to have performed penance to get Lord Shiva as her husband. Lord Shiva too accepted his affection toward her and they got married at the Triyuginarayan Temple.
On the way to Badrinath Dham
Joshimath
• Narsingh Devta Temple - The temple is located in the lower bazaar in Joshimath, near NH-58. The temple is built in reverence to Lord Vishnu, who is in Narsigha avatar. The idol is believed to have been placed by Shri Adi Shankaracharya himself.
