Char Dham Yatra – The four popular pilgrimage destinations of India, the Yamunotri, the Gangotri, Kedarnath and the Badrinath are nestled amidst the serene heights of the snow-capped Himalayas. These four pilgrimage destinations are collectively known as Char Dham. These destinations draw lakhs of pilgrims yearly and thus have a prominent place as the most important religious hubs of North India.
The Char Dham yatra that is to be started in a clockwise direction – starting from Yamunotri you reach Gangotri, you then head towards Kedarnath. Finally, you conclude your darshan at the Badrinath temple. The four temples open their gates for Char Dham Yatra 2019 by the end of April or start of May. The closure is towards October/ November. As per Hindu conventions, a number of devotees go on this pious yatra to experience holy bliss.
If you are planning to be a part of the grand extravaganza, you need to prep up for the trip well in advance. It is for a brief stint of 6 months, that the gates of all the four temples are kept open. Pilgrims across the country take up the Char Dham Yatra to rev up their body, mind and soul. These are the opening dates for Char Dham Yatra 2019:
Tentative opening and closing dates are:
- Yamunotri temple- 7th May 2019 to 27th October 2019
- Gangotri temple- 7th May 2019 to 27th October 2019
- Kedarnath Temple- 9th May 2019 to 27th October 2019 and
- Badrinath temple- 9th May 2019 to 9th November 2019
You need to plan your trip exactly during this period. It would be the most auspicious visit to each one of the temples when you plan it up during Akshaya Tritiya month. Many people also buy gold so that their wealth chest keeps overflowing through-out the year. And you never feel the diminished flow of wealth into your homes.
You must also understand that Yamunotri and Gangotri temples open their doors by Akshaya Tritiya of every year. It is followed by the portal opening of Kedarnath and Badrinath temples after a couple of days. Yamunotri and Kedarnath Dham close on Yama Dwitiya or Bhai Dooj whereas Gangotri Dham closes on the day of Diwali. While Badrinath temple closes its doors on Vijayadashami day. You need to plan your trips for the comprehensive pilgrimage tours accordingly. Each of the four pilgrimage sites is devoted to one deity in special.
Yamunotri – Yamunotri is devoted to the Goddess Yamuna, who along with the devotees moves till the high altitudes of Rawai Valley. One of the most sacred places in Yamunotri is the dark rock, as this is where the hot springs actually emerge from. This is called as the Divya Shila. This is where the pilgrims offer their first prayer and take bath in the holy waters of Yamuna. People believe that taking a bath in the waters of Yamuna protects them from untimely death and helps them achieve eternal emancipation.
Gangotri – The pilgrimage destination of Gangotri is dedicated to Goddess Ganga. This is the shrine that overlooks the ancient and holy river Bhagirathi, which also happens to be another name of river Ganga. Pilgrims visit the rock named Bhagirath Shila here, which is located near the temple. There is an ancient myth that King Bhagirath’s penance bought Ganga to the earth from heaven.
Kedarnath – The holy destination of Kedarnath is dedicated to Lord Shiva and this is also one among the Panch Kedar. It is located near the River Mandakini and is the northernmost Jyothirlinga.
Badrinath – Badrinath is set against the scenic backdrop of famous Neelkanth Peak and is located between the mountains of Nar and Narayan. This pilgrimage destination is dedicated to Lord Maha Vishnu. As per the legend, it is said that Lord Vishnu meditated at this place and Goddess Lakshmi appeared in the form of a Badri tree to offer shade to him.
How the package tours are done in a seamless manner
You have tour packages organized in a neat fashion. The elderly citizens cannot manage everything on their own. So the travel itinerary is drawn up in a tailor-made fashion. You can choose the expansive Char Dham Yatra 2019 package itself. As the name suggests, this particular pilgrim trip covers all the four temples. These are Yamunotri Dham, Gangotri Dham, Kedarnath temple and Badrinath temple. The entire package runs for 11-12 days. The train tickets are booked for group packages. You will also be getting hotel accommodation on a twin-sharing basis. The food and sight-seeing trips are also organized by the travel firm in accordance with the respective tier plan. The completion of trip marks landing you in your respective city’s airport or railway station.
If you do not want a complete package, you can split or customize these on your own. You have the Kedarnath-Badrinath camp organized for 7-8 days. Else you can opt for Yamunotri-Gangotri trip spanning 6 nights and 7 days.
Few insider traveller’s hints
- Keep the travel tickets and other important documents within an easy reach. You can always have your Aadhar card or Pan card as valid ID documents.
- Jot down the phone numbers and complete address of the hotel or motel where you would be staying in.
- Sometimes, you may have to pick a travel cab the moment you reach the airport or railway station. In this case, have the telephone number of the travel or cab operator handy. Just in case the cab or limousine arrives a bit late, confirm on the vehicle number. This way, you can be on the look-out for the same.
- Follow queues wherever possible.
As pilgrims, you may not be able to track the minutes of minute details at the last minute. Hence it is mandatory, you keep track of important info within easy reach. This way, you surely wouldn’t miss the bus.
One can embark on this journey by booking the scared yatra with Book Tours Online. The team takes the utmost care to provide a safe and hassle-free trip. Book the Char Dham Yatra packages online at Book Tours Online and enjoy a holy tour!