All four Dham locations are located at high altitudes. The shrines opened in 6 months a year. The shrines are opened in April or May and close with the onset of October or November. It is the belief of most people, that one should complete the Char Dham Yatra in a clockwise direction. People who completed all four shrines will get salvation. Hence, the Char Dham Yatra begins from Yamunotri, then Gangotri, Kedarnath, and finally ends at Badrinath.
Char Dham Yatra is all about travelling to four different places in Uttarakhand. These places are also known as the four Hindu pilgrimages. Char Dham is a religious place for Hindus. People visit Char Dham for lord Shiva and lord Vishnu worship.
Char Dham Starting & End Point
As we all know Char Dham Yatra is about travelling to four different places in Uttarakhand. if you are travelling to all four places for the first time, then you have to know all the details to start the journey of char dham.
You have to reach Sahastradhara, this trip’s start and end point. Flight timings are specified in advance. Pilots and ground staff of the helicopter service brief passengers about the trip, during the flight, off-ground. In Kharsali, you can proceed to the Yamunotri temple, Yamunotri temple is just 5 km away. After visiting the temple, you will stay in Kharsali.
The next day, you will proceed to Harsil by helicopter or by road. You can visit the Gangotri temple, which is 25 km away and takes 45 minutes by taxi. After offering prayers and taking blessings, return to harsil and take a rest here.
The next destination is Kedarnath, you can take a helicopter service, and the helicopter will drop you to the Phata helipad. Then you can change the chopper to proceed to Kedarnath. The Kedarnath temple is just 30 minutes away from the helipad. After visiting the temple, you will drop to Guptkashi for the next destination.
From the Badrinath helipad, you can check into your hotel or proceed to the temple for prayers directly. In the evening, explore Badrinath. At 4 am, get ready to attend the Maha Abhishek of Lord Badrinarayan. then return to Dehradun.
Char Dham Visiting Time
Gangotri: Gangotri is the head of the goddess Ganga and a source of the Holy River Ganga, the most sacred of all Indian rivers in the district of Uttarkashi. Kapat is open now for darshan from April to June and September to November.
Yamunotri: Yamunotri is the head of the goddess Yamuna and the source of the holy river Yamuna. Yamuna is the second-most sacred Indian river after River Ganga, in Uttarkashi district.
Badrinath: Badrinath is the temple of lord Vishnu in respect of Bhagwan Badrinath and Alaknanda, Saraswati from Badrinath ji. Badrinath temple is open for darshan from May to October. The temple is closed in October or November and is open around April.
Kedarnath: Kedarnath is 12 jyotirlingas and the temple of lord Shiva, Mandakani river from Kedarnath. People come to worship lord shiva and take the blessing of lord shiva. Kedarnath temple gate is open for darshan From May to October. In the winter season, the Kedarnath remains closed.
FAQ
- How to register for Char Dham?
Online Registration Process through Web Portal & Mobile App for Char Dham Yatra
- New User – Sign up
- Existing User – Sign In
- Plan your Tour – Manage Tour Information
- Register yourself – Manage Pilgrims or register yourself as a pilgrim and register others as well.
- Through Mobile Application – Tourist Care Uttarakhand
- From which helipad stations, I can book Helicopter Service for Shri Kedarnath Dham?
You can book Helicopter Service from Sersi, Phata and Guptakashi for Shri Kedarnath Dham.
- Which Dham should I visit first?
Char Dham follows a fixed sequence that always starts from the West and ends at the East, which means Yatra starts from Yamunotri, then Gangotri, Kedarnath and last but not least Badrinath.
- Can we do Dham Yatra by helicopter from Dehradun?
Yes. Do-Dham & Chardham Yatra by helicopter service is also available from Dehradun, which generally takes 3 to 5 days to complete the darshan.
- How long is Kedarnath & Yamunotri trek?
Kedarnath Trek is 17 km long, which starts from Gaurikund and ends at Kedarnath whereas Yamunotri trek is 6 km long and starts from the Jankichatti.
Conclusion
People can visit all four places using a helicopter as well. Various websites provide different packages to visit all four places in Uttarakhand. Some devotees only visit the Two Dham Yatra of shrines: Kedarnath and Badrinath.
The Char Dham Yatra is a wonderful experience for all Hindus to get the blessings of lord shiva & lord Vishnu. People also do the Char Dham Yatra by helicopter. Helicopter service helps pilgrimage to travel to all four places in less time. There are different packages to visit all four places in Uttarakhand. Devotees can check all the information on the various websites and book different services like taxis, hotels, helicopters, etc.