Just as there is no pleasure without happiness, light without darkness, and no food without hunger, in the same way we cannot even realize success without challenges in life. The journey of Chardham i.e. Kedarnath, Yamunotri, Gangotri, and Badrinath situated in the high Himalayas of Uttarakhand also teaches us to fight challenges.
Even though the Chardham Yatra of 2020 had to be postponed due to the Corona epidemic last year, the Chardham Yatra of 2021 is envisaged to be completed. Since the yatra is part of our Sanatani Hindu dharm tradition, Yamunotri and Gangotri Dham’s kapatas (Doors) were opened on the fixed date and Muhurta, despite the postponement of Chardham Yatra in 2020, the Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines were opened only after that..
This time too, in Chardham of 2021, in the presence of limited people, following physical distance, regular worship for human welfare will also be done. Anyway, despite the postponement of the physical journey, the spiritual journey never stops. The feeling of the Chardham Yatra is also that it is not possible to achieve the goal without being free from fear, but we can get freedom from fear only when we face the challenges with full vigor.
The journey of life Char Dham Yatra 2021
The journey of life Char Dham 2021, If seen, the Chardham Yatra has ensured and irrigated the unique feelings of tolerance and mutual trust by giving the message of connecting humanity at many levels. It makes us feel happy in our inner selves. That is why Chardham Yatra has also been called the journey of life.
The Chardham Yatra of 2021, which begins this time on the Akshaya Tritiya festival in mid-May 2021, with the opening of the doors of Sri Yamunotri Dham and Sri Gangotri Dham. Starting from Yamunotri Dham in the Uttarkashi district of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, the journey takes a break from Gangotri Dham (Uttarkashi) to Kedarnath (Rudraprayag) and reaches Badrinath (Chamoli). Gangotri and Yamunotri Dham have a tradition of opening the doors of the summer for the Akshaya Tritiya festival. After this, the doors of Kedarnath Dham and finally Badrinath Dham are opened. Akshaya Tritiya has been delayed by more than a fortnight this year due to the fluctuations in dates due to the stay of Adhikamas (Mal Maas) from September 18 to October 16.
The date of opening of the Kapats (Door) of Badrinath Dham, Basant Panchami, after the Panchag census on Tuesday 16 February was decided by law in the court (Raj Darbar) at Narendranagar, Tehri Garhwal, and a function has been organized to declare the date of the Kapatran at 9.30 am.
Each year on the day of Basant Panchami after Badrinath Dham’s winter kapat is closed, Rajmahal in Narendra Nagar calculates an auspicious time for worshiping Rajpurohit Sampurnanand Joshi and Ram Prasad Uniyal Saraswati. On this day, an auspicious time to extract “Gadu Ghada kalash (गाड़ू घड़ा कलश) ” means sesame oil is also taken for the worship of the Badrinath temple, And Badrinath Temple Committee hands over this urn to the palace on Basant Panchami. This year, the opening of the kapat in 2021 has been fixed for May 18 at 4:15 am. Also, the Muhurta for the Garuda pitcher (गाड़ू घड़ा कलश) is set for April 29.
The date of the opening of the Kedarnath shrine of 2021 Char Dham Yatra will be fixed on 11 March Thursday at Omkareshwar Temple Ukhimath on the occasion of Shivaratri, while the Kapotas of Gangotri and Yamunotri Dham traditionally open on the day of Akshaya Tritiya. The pilgrimage times are set for the opening of the Yamunotri Dham in the winter sojourn “Mukhba village ” on the new Samvatsar and on the Yamuna Jayanti in winter sojourn “Kharsali village”. Mukhba village, also known as Mukhwas village, holds great religious significance for Hindus. During the winter season, the idol of the Hindu goddess Ganga is brought to this village from the temple of Gangotri. This is done because there is heavy snowfall in Gangotri due to which there is no way to go to the temple.
On the Char Dham Yatra of 2021, this time devotees coming to Mahakumbh had to wait a little to see Char Dham. The festival of Akshaya Tritiya is coming three weeks late as compared to the current year due to increase and decrease in dates due to more Adhikamas (Mal mass). This is the reason that this time the Muhurta of opening the 2021 Char Dham Yatra kapats has slipped behind.
About char Dham yatra
The Char dham Yatra is organized every year in the summer months in the beautiful mountains of Uttarakhand. These four sites are considered quite sacred. Badrinath Dham, the holy site of Lord Badri Vishal (Vishnu), is located in Chamoli district. Bhole Baba’s holy abode Kedarnath is located in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. Gangotri, the origin of the Jeevandayini Ganga river, and Yamunotri, the origin of the Yamuna river, are both in Uttarkashi district. About Char Dham Yatra which is called Chota Char dham Yatra of Uttarakhand. It is believed that all the sins of the devotees visiting these Char dhams are washed away and the soul is freed from the bondage of life-death. This is not only a religious journey, but also gives an opportunity to admire the amazing natural beauty. This Char Dham Yatra is considered very holy. Every person of Hinduism definitely wants to visit Char Dham once in life.
The journey to Char Dham is considered a journey from devotion to salvation. Where Yamuna ji is the master of devotion. It is said that the eyes of knowledge open only when there is the communication of devotion in the inner self. Therefore, Saraswati Swaroopa Maa Ganga, the master of knowledge, has been called. It is through knowledge that a feeling of quietness arises in the living being, whose attainment is possible only through the thoughts of Lord Kedarnath. The last step of life is Moksha and it is found at the feet of Lord Badri Vishal. Then Badrinath Dham is called Bhoo-Vaikunth.
- Chardham is the origin of four holy rivers: The Char Dham located in Garhwal, Uttarakhand is the origin of four holy rivers. The Yamuna originates from Yamunotri, Ganga from Gangotri, Mandakini from Kedarnath, and Alaknanda River from Badrinath.
- Gateway to Chardham Rishikesh: Rishikesh can be called the first stop for the Chardham Yatra. Hereby rail, road, and air After arriving, travelers leave for Chardham Yatra. In Rishikesh itself, the government has made arrangements for weather updates and control room along with the route information keeping in mind the safety, so that passengers can be helped.
Four holy places of Char Dham Yatra
First stop of Char Dham Yatra Shri Yamunotri Dham Temple: Situated at an altitude of 10610 feet above sea level in Uttarkashi district, Yamunotri Dham is considered as the first stop of the Himalayan Chota Chardham Yatra and the origin of the Yamuna River. However, the true origin of the Yamuna is a frozen ice lake and the Himnad Champasar glacier, which is situated on the Kalind mountain. According to a legend, Yamunotri Dham was the residence of Asit Muni. The present temple located here was built by the Maharani of Jaipur. It was rebuilt by Tehri Naresh Pratap Shah in the year 1919 after the earthquake destroyed the temple. A black marble statue of Goddess Yamuna sits in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Here the streams falling from the rock produce “ॐ ओम” sad sound.
The second stop of the Char Dham Yatra and the shrine of Bhagiratha Shri Gangotri Dham Temple: Gangotri Dham, located in the Greater Himalayan Range in the Uttarkashi district, has been considered the originating point of the erstwhile Ganges River. Although the origin of the Ganges is about 19 km from here. The Gangotri glacier is located at Gomukh (गोमुख). It is believed that Bhagiratha, the ancestor of Shri Ram and the Chakravarti king of Raghukul, did the harsh penance of Lord Shiva here. Goddess Ganga touched the earth at this place from Shiva’s well. It is here in the 18th century that the present temple was built by Gorkha General Amar Singh Thapa of Garhwal, which is built of shiny high stones of white granite. The temple was renovated in the year 1935 by Raja Madho Singh II of Jaipur, which reflects the Rajasthani style in the design of the temple. Here a natural rock in the form of Shivling is submerged in the Bhagirathi River.
It is said that there was no temple here in ancient times. Statues of deities were placed on the platform near the Bhagirathi rock. They were brought here from the villages of Shyam Prayag, Ganga Prayag, Dharali, Mukhba, etc., and were returned to these places during the winter. E.T. Atkinson writes in “The Himalayan Gazetteer” that Gangotri administrative unit was a part of Patti and Parganas (पट्टी व परगने) during the British rule. Inside the temple complex was a small house for priests and a wooden shaded structure for pilgrims outside.
The third step of Char Dham Yatra and Shri Kedarnath Dham Temple one of Panch Kedar: Situated at the confluence of the Mandakini and Saraswati rivers in Rudraprayag district, Kedarnath Dham is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas as well as one of the four Dham and Panch Kedars of the Himalayas. It is said that this Katyuri style (कत्यूरी शैली) temple built with giant stones was built by King Janamejaya of Pandava dynasty. The self-styled Shivling sits in the sanctum sanctorum. The temple is situated on a six feet high square platform.
There is pradakshina (प्रदक्षिणा)/Parikrama (Circling around the idol of the presiding deity) path around the mandapa and sanctum sanctorum. Nandi, the vehicle of Shiva, sits in the temple premises outside. It is said that Adya Shankaracharya took samadhi at Kedarnath Dham at the age of 32 after establishing Chardham in all four directions in the 8th winter. He built the present temple.
According to Rahul Sankrityayan (is called the Father of Indian Travelogue Travel literature), this temple is of the 12-13th century. The inscriptions on the temple stairs could not be read. Historian Dr. Shiv Prasad Dabral believes that even before Adi Shankaracharya people go to Kedarnath.
The last stop of Char Dham Yatra is Shri Badrinath Dham Temple where Narayan is seated in meditation: Situated on the banks of the Alaknanda River at an elevation of about 10276 feet above sea level in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, Bhumi-Vaikunth Sri Badrinath Dham is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. In ancient texts like Vishnu Purana, Mahabharata, and Skanda Purana, it has been described as the best among the mythological Char Dham in the country. The Badrinath temple is believed to have been constructed between the seventh and ninth centuries.
The 15-meter-high temple in conical style (शंकुधारी शैली) has a dome at the summit and is situated in the Nar-Narayana meditation with Sri Vishnu at Garbabhuh. The idol of Shri Vishnu made of Shaligram stone is one meter high. It is believed that Adi Guru Shankaracharya removed it from Narada Kund around the eighth century and was revered in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.
This idol is considered one of the eight self-proclaimed idols of Shri Vishnu. This temple is also one of the 108 Divya temples of Srivishnu, which were built by the people of Vesna and the sect. There was a severe earthquake in the Himalayas in the year 1803, which caused great damage to the temple.
It was then revived by the Raja of Jaipur. The main priest of the temple is the Namboodari Brahmin (नंबूदरी ब्राह्मण) of Kerala, called Rawal (रावल). This arrangement was done by Adi Guru Shankaracharya himself. According to another concept, this temple is called Badri Vishal and four other temples dedicated to Shri Vishnu are combined with Yoga-Dhyan Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Vruddha Badri, and Adi-Badri to form the entire group as Panch Badri Is known.
Char Dham Yatra 2021 Temple kaptas opening date
On the occasion of Basant Panchami, the Muhurta to open the Badrinath temple was taken out in a ceremony held in the court of the Tehri dynasty at Narendra Nagar. According to the Char Dham Devasthanam Board, the doors of Badrinath Dham dedicated to Lord Vishnu will open at Brahm Muhurta on May 18, 2021, at 4:15 am. With which the Char Dham Yatra of 2021 begins.
- The Char Dham Yatra 2021 will begin with the opening of the doors (kaptas) of Badrinath on 18 May 2021.
- The valleys of Sri Gangotri and Yamunotri Dham traditionally open on the day of Akshaya Tritiya. Whose date is probably mid-May 2021.
- The date of opening of the doors of Shri Kedarnath Temple Dham will be fixed on 11 March 2021 on the day of Shivaratri at Omkareshwar Temple Ukhimath.
How to reach Char Dham yatra 2021
Many people are not aware of the fact that the Chardham Yatra follows a certain sequence. The Chardham Yatra always starts from Yamunotri Dham and ends at Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath Dham.
- Reach Yamunotri Dham in this way: There are also many pilgrimages en route to Yamunotri Yatra starting from Rishikesh. To reach Yamunotri, you reach Hanuman Chatti via Dehradun-Mussoorie, Naugaon-Barkot. The journey ahead of Hanuman Chatti is 14 kilometers. From here one can go by taxi to Janaki Chatti, which is easily available. 5 km from Janaki Chatti due to the difficult hiking path, mules/horses can be taken to travel from here.
- Reach Gangotri Dham: Yamunotri to Gangotri is about 222 km by road. Therefore you must stay 128 km away in Uttarkashi. From there you can reach Gangotri in the morning the next day. Lord Vishwanath Temple is also visible in Uttarkashi. The height of Gangotri is about 10,300 feet (6,672 m) above sea level. East of Gangotri is the hot water Parashar Kund in Ganganani. The devotees go to Gangotri and pay obeisance only after bathing here. After coming back to Uttarkashi, after a night’s rest, the journey starts from Kedarnath.
- Reach Baba Kedarnath Dham: You can enjoy the journey while enjoying the snow on the mountains between the high mountain and thousands of feet deep moat. Before reaching Baba Kedar, you will reach Gaurikund via Rudraprayag, Guptkashi. There is also a pool of hot water here. After bathing here, the 22 km climb to Kedarnath begins. Before the 2013 disaster, this walking distance was fourteen km. But after changing the entire geography of Kedarghati after the disaster, this distance has now increased. Horse-sedan is also available for Kedarnath from here. You can do night rest in Gaurikund after worshiping in Kedarnath. If you want, you can stay in Kedarnath. Apart from this, Kedarnath from Guptkashi can also be reached by helicopter.
- Shri Badrinath Dham, The last stop for the Char Dham Yatra: The distance from Gaurikund to Badrinath Dham is about 226 km. There are two routes to Badrinath from here. One is about 243 km via Kedarnath to Rudraprayag and the other is about 230 km via Ukhimath. Pooja takes place in Ukhimath after the closure of the Kedarnath pats in November. Therefore going through Ukhimath, Tungnath Chaupata is a better option. This road is very picturesque. It is at the highest altitude of the entire trip. You can see Tungnath (one of the highest Shiva temples in the world) here.
Char Dham Yatra tour map
- Rishikesh ➢ Dehradun ➢ Mussoorie ➢ Naugaon ➢ Barkot ➢ Janki-Chatti ➢ Yamunotri Dham.
- Rishikesh ➢ New Tehri ➢ Chamba ➢ chinyalisour ➢ Uttarkashi ➢ Bhaironghati ➢ Gangotri Dham.
- Rishikesh ➢ Devparyah ➢ Srinagar ➢ Rudraprayag ➢ Guptkashi ➢ Gaurikund ➢ Kedarnath Dham.
- Rishikesh ➢ Devparyah ➢ Srinagar ➢ Rudraprayag ➢ Karna Prayag ➢ Gopeshwar ➢ Pipalkoti ➢ Joshimath ➢ Badrinath Dham
Frequently Asked Questions About Char Dham Yatra 2021 Uttarakhand
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Where does the Char Dham journey begin?
Char Dham Yatra The first stop can be called Rishikesh which is also known as the gateway of Char Dham Yatra. From here, passengers leave for Char Dham Yatra after reaching by rail, road, and air.
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Which sites are called Char Dham?
Some people consider the journey of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath to be a trip to Charo Dham, but this journey is one pilgrimage. The journey to these Dhams is called Chota Char Dham.
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How much will the Char Dham Yatra cost?
In Char Dham Yatra, a person can eat simple food by spending around Rs 300 a day. Many hotels, Dharamshalas are easily available to stay in Char Dham Yatra which is completed in 10 days. If you travel around Char Dham by ordinary bus, you will have to spend around Rs 4-5000, then Rs 3-4000 for three Dham, 3000 rupees for two Dham, and about 2000 rupees for one Dham. Similarly, the luxury bus is more expensive than an ordinary bus.
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Best time to visit Char Dham?
By the way, Chard ham Yatra starts in the month of April or May every year and ends in October-November. But the month of September is the peak season of this yatra as the region receives heavy rains between June and August, due to which the pilgrims have to face heavy troubles. September is the best time to visit Char Dham Yatra because after rains the entire valley is washed away and fresh. Greenery starts to appear everywhere and the natural beauty of this place is seen.