Char Dham Yatra

Char Dham are the four prime pilgrimage destinations of India, which are often considered as the means of salvation for the Hindus. The char Dham as defined by the great Adi Shankaracharya includes two Vaishnavite site, one Shaivite site and the the last one being a mixed site. These four pilgrim sites are Jagannath Puri, Rameshwaram, Dwarka and Badrinath. Each of these places are dedicated to the avatars of lord Vishnu and according to Hindu beliefs, a trip to these four sacred places in a lifetime is a must if you want to wipe out your sins and gain mental peace. Now let's get to know these four holy places in a better manner.

Well, when it comes to the Char Dhams, the first name that comes into your mind is Badrinath. The place is situated in Uttarakhand in the northern region of India. It is surrounded by Gharwal hills and located along the banks of Alakananda River. The place is named after lord Badrinath who was found in the Alakananda River in the form of Saligram stone and has immense spiritual value to the Hindus even in today's modern world.

The next pilgrim site comprising the Char Dham is none other than Dwarka, which is supposed to be the birthplace of lord Krishna. The place is located in the state of Gujarat and situated where the famous Gomati River meets the Gulf of Kutch. One interesting fact about this place is that even after the destruction of the original Dwarka by sea, it has been rebuilt seven times after being submerged in the sea six times previously.

Jagannath Puri is another pious pilgrim site of India and also a part of the Char Dhams as well. Puri is one of the oldest cities of eastern India, which is situated on the coast of Bay of Bengal and belongs to the state of Orissa. The Jagannath temple is the only sacred shrine in India, where the sister of lord Krishna, Subhadra is worshiped with both her brothers Jagannath and Balabhadra. The place is famous for the Rath Yatra as well.

The last of the four Dhams is the Rameshwaram, which belongs to the state of Tamil Nadu. The shrine is located at the southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula, along the shores of the Gulf of Mannar. Legend has it that this is the very place from where Lord Shri Rama built the great Ram Setu to Lanka. The place is famous for being one of the twelve Jyotirlingas as well, besides being one of the most significant pilgrimage sites.

Char Dham is mainly located at four corners of India and is believed to provide salvation to the Hindus who visit these sites. Not only that, a life without a tour to all of these four holy sites is often said to be incomplete by the Hindus.