Char Dham Yatra

It is pretty much clear by the name itself that roaming around four Dhams is the basic concept of the Chardham Yatra. But why is it so important? Who started this and why? What is the significance of these Dhams and what do they represent? We will read all this in the article below.

Char Dham literally means the four abodes of God. This Char Dham should not be mistaken for the Chota Char Dham which is located in Uttarakhand. It is popular among the followers of the Vaishnava sect but it is also done by common folks. People do believe that visiting these sites will help you in attaining salvation (Moksha) and that each person must visit these sites once in their lifetime. The four sites are – Badrinath in the North, Rameshwaram in the South, Dwarka in the West and Jagannath Puri in the East.

How to start the Char Dham Yatra?

Best time to start

The ideal time to start the Chardham Yatra will depend mainly on which direction you start from. But if you ask me I would say the best time to start is February. Start by planning a trip to Rameshwaram as it is also the first one in this Char Dham circuit. Also, this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Mahashivratri falls mostly at the end of February or at the beginning of March.

Keep Dwarka 2nd in your Itinerary, however, the best time to visit Dwarka is August considering Krishna Janmashtami. Yet you can visit Dwarka either coming back from Rameshwaram or planning it for the next month. But make sure not to wait till the extreme summer as being a coastal region, the weather might not remain comfortable enough at that time.

Now the best time to visit Badrinath is either May to June or September to October. And the best time to visit Jagannath puri is July because of the Jagannath Yatra. So you can either go to Badrinath first and then plan for Jagannath Dham or you can also go with the other option. Visit Jagannath Dham first and then keep Badrinath for September or October.

Is August the best time to Start the Chardham Yatra?

The answer is yes, as the summer is settling down and for people who want to avoid rushing on their trip it is the best time. You can start with Jagannath puri then plan for Badrinath as September to October is the best to visit this Vishnu Temple. Once winter starts all the places of southern India will be just waiting for you. You can complete your Char Dham Yatra by next year March as per your timings and budget.

Char Dham Yatra Bonus tips

You can modify this tour plan as per your budget, and timing and plan accordingly. But make sure to keep a check on the weather forecast before visiting these destinations. Because all of these sites are located in coastal regions or on high altitudes. Also, Odisha faces tornadoes almost every year between the month of May to July beginning. Also, the weather at some times in the year might not be well enough for a visit to the coastal regions. In the rainy season, there are high chances of landslides in hilly areas. Hence considering safety, please make sure to keep a check on all these aspects.

Origin of Char Dham

The Char Dham came into significance during the main time epochs of the world. In fact, they signify a particular Yuga (age/generation):-

Badrinath came into being with Lord Vishnu in the form of Nara-Narayana coming to perform austerities. Thus, Badrinath is the first Dham which came into existence in the Satyug.

Lord Rama (an avatar of Lord Vishnu) prayed to Lord Shiva in Rameshwaram and thus this place got its importance. It came into existence in the Tretayug.

Lord Krishna moved to Dwarka along with his followers and thus the Dwarkamati came to exist. It came to existence in the Dwaparyug and the Yuga ended with Krishna leaving his mortal form and returning to his abode in the Vaikuntha.

Jagannath Puri is the fourth and final Dham which is associated with the Kaliyuga. Here, the Kalki Avatar (the final avatar) of Vishnu is worshipped. Many believe that the Present age is the Kali Yuga or the age of darkness, sin and destruction. Lord Jagannath does not have a proper body of a deity as compared to other deities in Hinduism and it is quite amusing to know that no one has yet predicted the form of this avatar yet. Kalki avatar is said to be the destructor of this world. There is a very similar myth in Christianity known as the “Second Coming”.

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