Chardham Pilgrimage Tour - Noida

About Char Dham Yatra

When we say Char Dham, we usually mean four pilgrimage sites that were established by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century AD. These are Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram. However, there is another pilgrimage circuit consisting of four sites, all of which are as ancient and revered as the ones mentioned above. Located in Uttarakhand, these are Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. A devotee is required to visit all of these Char Dham temples in the Garhwal Himalayas during the Char Dham Pilgrimage Tour. All of these temples are located in the Garhwal region. While Yamunotri and Gangtori are located in the Uttarkashi district, Kedarnath and Badrinath are located in Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts respectively. Just like every year, Char Dham Yatra 2022 will also be attended by a large number of devotees, for whom it will be both an uplifting and spiritual experience. Besides the Char Dham Yatra, devotees will also revel in the beauty of the landscape. Here, you will find the best time to take this yatra, history, how to reach it, accommodation, opening & closing of door timings and helicopter services for Chardham.

Best time to take the Char Dham Yatra

The Char Dham Yatra 2022 will commence from late April and continue till October (except Badrinath, which will remain open till November). All of these dhams are located at extremely high altitudes, where even the summers are cool and the winters harsh. The best time to go on a Char Dham Pilgrimage Tour is from April to June. The weather during these months is pleasant and allows you to make the most of your trip. Monsoons arrive from July to September, and there is a possibility of road blockages and landslides during this time. However, you can still take the Char Dham Yatra Yatra during this time.

Chardham Yatra Opening and Closing Dates for 2022:

Char Dham Darshan & Arti Timings for General Public

The opening, arti and closing timings of the kapat (temple doors) of Yamunotri Temple, Gangotri Temple, Kedarnath Temple and Badrinath Temple are given below. It should be remembered that the timings for the Char Dham Temple Darshan vary from one to the other.

• Yamunotri Temple: Doors of the Yamunotri Temple open for the general public at 7-8 AM in the morning. There is a short break from 1 PM to 4 PM, after which the doors open, and finally close at 8 PM.
• Gangotri Temple: The kapat (temple doors) of Gangotri Temple open at 6:15 AM and close at 2:00 PM for the general public. It reopens at 3:00 PM and finally closes at 9:30 PM.
• Kedarnath Temple: The doors of Kedarnath Temple open for the general public at 7 AM and remain open till 1 PM. After being closed for 3 hours, they reopens at 4 PM, and finally close at 9 PM.
• Badrinath Temple: The doors of Badrinath Temple open for the general public at 7 AM to 1 PM. After a short break, they reopen at 4 PM and are finally closed at 9 PM.

How to Reach Char Dham Temples?

Although all the Char Dham Temples can be reached via flight, train and road, the distances between the airports or railway stations and the temples are quite considerable. Helicopter services are also available for those who cannot take a long journey.

By Flight: The nearest airport for the Char Dham Temples is the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun. Flights to the major cities of India, including Delhi, are available from this airport.

By Train: Dehradun Railway Station is the nearest railway station to Yamunotri & Gangotri Temple, while Haridwar Railway Station is the nearest to Kedarnath & Badrinath.

By Road: There is no direct road connectivity to Yamunotri Temple. Buses and taxis are available from Rishikesh, Dehradun, Tehri, Uttarkashi and Barkot, and go as far as Janki Chatti. From there, you will have to trek for almost 6 km. The trekking route cuts through dense forests and follows winding trails.

Gangotri is well connected by motorable roads to all the other parts of Uttarakhand. It is situated at the end of NH 108. But to reach Gangotri, you will have to reach Rishikesh first. Buses for it are available from ISBT Kashmiri Gate (if you are in Delhi). After reaching Rishikesh, you will have to catch another bus or hire a taxi to reach Gangotri.

Kedarnath cannot be reached by a motorable road. The last point which can be reached by bus or taxi is Gaurikund, from where you will have to take a trek of almost 14km. Buses and taxis to Gaurikund are available from Rishikesh, Haridwar, Dehradun, Pauri, Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Srinagar. Gaurikund lies on NH 109. Badrinath is well connected by motorable roads along with other parts of Uttarakhand. You can hire buses from ISBT Kashmiri Gate to Rudraprayag, Pauri, Rishikesh, Karnaprayag, Ukhimath, Srinagar and Chamoli, to name a few places. Badrinath is connected to Ghaziabad via NH 58.

Brief History of Char Dham Temples

All the Char Dham Temples have an interesting legend and history associated with them. Each of the temples are dedicated to a particular deity. Yamunotri Temple is dedicated to Goddess Yamuna and house a black marble idol of her. The temple also houses an idol of Ganga Devi. It is believed to have been built in 1839 by Naresh Sudarshan Shah, the king of Tehri. There are two hot water springs, called Surya Kund and Gauri Kund, which are located in close proximity to the temple. Rice and potatoes are boiled in its waters, and then offered as prasad (offerings) to the goddess.

Gangotri Temple is dedicated to Goddess Ganga, and was built by Amar Singh Thapa, the famed Gurkha general, in the 19th century. It is believed that this is where Goddess Ganga descended on earth when Lord Shiva opened the locks of his hair and released the mighty waters. Kedarnath Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is fascinating not just by the legends associated with it but also by the altitude at which it is located. The most remotest of all the Chota Char Dham pilgrimage sites, it is situated at 3,583 meters, in close proximity to River Mandakini. According to mythology, the temple is believed to have been built by the Pandavas. The earliest reference to it can be found in the Skanda Purana. Besides being a famous spiritual destination, it is famous for the incredible scenery which surrounds it.

Badrinath Temple, built to honour Lord Vishnu (also known as Badri Vishal), is unique because it is a part of both the Chota Char Dham and Char Dham. It was established as a major pilgrimage site by Adi Shankaracharya in the 7th century. A Garhwal king built the temple in the 16th century, but it has been renovated several times because of natural calamities.

Significance of Char Dham Yatra

Hindus believe that taking the Char Dham Yatra leads to salvation and cleanses one of all sins. It is also believed to absolve people of all sins committed by them in their previous lives. The yatra is supposed to be taken in the following order: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. At the end of the tour, the devotee is believed to attain moksha.

Accommodation Facilities in Char Dham

You can select from a variety of accommodation facilities during Char Dham Yatra as per your budget and needs. There are lodges, hotels, tents, camps, government guest houses and other variety of accommodations that are available in luxury, deluxe and budget options. Although there are relatively less accommodation options at Yamunotri Dham, you can find accommodation on the way in places like Barkot, Janki Chatti, Hanuman Chatti and Sayana Chatti.

You can find a few budget hotels and lodges at Gangotri Dham. However, at Uttarkashi, there are plenty of hotels which are available at luxury, deluxe and budget options. A few budget hotels are also available at Harsil, which lies about 25km from Gangotri.

While you will hardly find any accommodation at Kedarnath Dham, there are hotels and lodges at Guptkashi, Sonprayag, Gaurikund and Sitapur. Accommodations are also available at Chandrapuri, Sitapur, Ukhimath, Phata and Agastyamuni.

Helicopter Services for Char Dham

Helicopter services are available for Char Dham Yatra, and it is great for those that cannot afford to go trekking because of time constraints or health issues. Helicopter services to Char Dham Yatra are provided by both private and public operators. These helicopter services to Char Dham yatra are available in 4 Nights 5 Days packages. A few operators also give you the option of selecting the Dhams that you want to visit. It should be noted that the prices are determined according to the number of Dhams visited - one, two, three or four. You can book Helicopter Services for Char Dham at Tour My India in the easiest way without any hassle. The timings and prices will vary from one operator to the other.