Talk about Char Dham Yatra and today people will inevitably point to the four pilgrimage sites in Uttarakhand, not knowing that these are the “Chota” Char Dham that became popular only in recent times. Hinduism goes back a long time and since centuries it is the major char Dham of Badrinath, Puri, Rameshwaram and Dwarka that are the actual pilgrimage spots one must visit in order to gain merit.
These four major pilgrimage spots are located in four corners of India: North, East, South and West. In olden days elders would set out on foot and by cart and the whole journey would take months. Today, rail and air travel make it easy to complete the pilgrimage in a short time. In general one can say that all four places are dedicated to Lord Vishnu with Rameshwaram being the exception in that Lord Rama worshipped Lord Shiva here. In a way Rameshwaram is also a Vaishnav site since Lord Rama is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It is said that Lord Vishnu liked these four corners and that he bathes at Rameshwaram, meditates at Badrinath, goes on to have his meals at Puri and rests for the night at Dwarka. The temples at these four Dham are entrusted with the task of safeguarding the four Vedas: Sama-Veda, Yajur-Veda, Atharva-Veda and Rig-Veda. You travel across the length and breadth of India when you undertake this major Char Dham Yatra and return with a sense of fulfillment.
Badrinath
Badrinath in Chamoli in Uttarakhand is the only temple to also feature in the Chota Char Dham circuit. The temple here is dedicated to Lord Vishnu forming part of 108 Divya Desam and it is located on the banks of the Alaknanda River at a height of 3133 metres. It is said the statue of Lord Vishnu in the form of Badrinarayan is self manifested and the old temple finds mention in the Puranas. It is said the Lord spent thousands of years meditating under the Badri Tree and therefore the name. His consort assumed the shape of the Badri tree and gave him protection. Pilgrims bathe in the Tapt Kund hot springs before proceeding to the temple for Darshan of the Lord. Pilgrims also visit the other temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the Panch Prayag or holy confluences and Shiva temples before proceeding onwards to Puri.
Jagannath Puri
The Jagannath Temple in Puri is dedicated to Lord Krishna who is shown here alongside his sister Subhadra and brother Balabhadra. Some believe that Subhadra represents Brahma while others think of her as Vimala, consort of Lord Shiva and Balabhadra represents Shiva and the three make up the triumvirate of Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh or a mix of Shaktism, Vaishnavism and Shaivism. The temple here is more than 1000 years old. Puri is a large city and it is easily accessible by road, rail and by air. On Janmashtami day Puri takes on a festive air as the great Rathyatra sets out on a tour of the city. Unlike other temples, the deities are carved out of wood and the idols are replaced every 12 or 19 years. The temple is open from 5 AM to midnight and devotees can circumambulate the idols free of charge. By paying a meager amount of Rs. 25 devotees can go right up to the idols and touch the feet of the Lord.
Rameshwaram
Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameshwaram Island is dedicated to Lord Shiva and it is also one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India. Lord Rama is believed to have prayed here asking Lord Shiva for forgiveness for having killed Ravana, a Brahmana.
Dwarka
The Dwarkadeesh temple in Dwarka is the fourth of the famous pilgrimage sites, located in Gujarat alongside the coast of Saurashtra. The temple here is dedicated to Lord Krishna, King of Dwarka and it is an ancient one dating back 2000 years. It is said Krishna’s grandson built the temple above the dwelling place of Lord Krishna and the temple is considered to be the 108th Divya Desam.
This major Char Dham Yatra is not only a journey of the soul fulfilling a spiritual need but also gets you across the diverse geographical landscape of India, helping you discover various cultures of the North, East, South and West.
