Char Dham broadly known as four abodes of God in the four directions of India. These destinations are – Puri in the east, Rameshwaram in the south, Dwarka in the west, and Badrinath in the north. These are most traveling places for Hindus as religious places of India.
There is another “Char Dham” in Uttranchal – Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath. These are situated in Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand state in north India.
Gangotri: it is a small town in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. The place is known as Hindu pilgrimage town which is situated on the bank of the river Bhagirathi. It is the source of the Ganga River also. It is on the Himalayan Range at 3,042 m height. There is a Gangotri temple also to worship the Ganga goddess.
Yamunotri: it is the source of the Yamuna River. The Yamuna River is also known as the goddess of Yamuna which is one of the pilgrimages of Char Dham. The temple is located in Uttrakhan, India.
Badrinath: it is also one of the holy town of Chamoli districts in the state of Uttarakhand. The pilgrimage was established by Adi Shankara in the ninth century. The place is known as godhead, Vishnu. So, it is most important pilgrimage place of Char Dham.
Kedarnath: the holy town is situated in Uttarakhand. It is about 3584m above sea level in the Himalayas. It is near the head of Mandakini River. Kedarnath temple is a popular destination for Hindu pilgrims and it is known as one of the holiest Hindu temples. The place is known by the name of King Kedar who ruled here in the Satya Yuga.
These four destinations of North India are most famous for Hindu pilgrims across the world. These are known as “Char Dham” holy places. Char Dham attracts religious tourists of world. These are the places of Rivers and religion.
