Uttarakhand is known as Devbhoomi and Char Dham is situated in this Devbhoomi. Every year lakhs of devotees from India and abroad visit the Char Dham. The number of devotees also increases every year because the Char Dham Yatra lasts only for 6 months in a year. This year Char Dham Yatra will begin on May 10. People from all across the country have started booking their tickets from IRCTC. Almost 18 lakh people have registered for the yatra.
The State Chief Secretary Radha Raturi has written a letter to the Chief Secretaries of the States and Union Territories in this regard. In the letter, she said that due to the increasing numbers of devotees every year, more than 10 lakh pilgrims are expected to visit in the first 15 days. She has also mentioned that given the possibility of the unexpected arrival of devotees, it is being requested that VIP people should avoid travelling from May 10 to 25.
Now, before embarking on the journey, the devotees must know which Dham should be visited first in the Char Dham Yatra and what the correct order of the journey is. Today we will give you detailed information about this in our article.
The correct sequence and the first stop of the Char Dham Yatra
Char Dham Yatra has great importance for the followers of the Hindu religion. The Char Dham located in Uttarakhand are Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. According to religious beliefs, Char Dham Yatra starts from Yamunotri. It is believed that if you start the journey from Yamunotri, your Chardham Yatra is completed without any hindrance. Along with this, it is mentioned in the scriptures that the journey starts from the west and ends in the east, hence Yamunotri Dham is visited first.
The second leg of the journey
After visiting Yamunotri, the second stop of the Char Dham Yatra is Gangotri Dham. The distance from Yamunotri to Gangotri Dham is about 220 kilometres but to reach there you do not need to walk, you can easily reach Gangotri Dham by road. There is a belief about Gangotri Dham that after reaching here all the sins of the devotees are washed away.
The third stop of the journey
Kedarnath, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, is the third stop on the Char Dham Yatra. According to beliefs, Lord Shiva still resides in Kedarnath Dham. Devotees get the desired results by visiting Baba Kedarnath.
The last stop of Char Dham Yatra
Badrinath Dham is the last stop of the Chardham Yatra. Situated on the banks of the Alaknanda River, this Dham of Lord Vishnu is situated in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. According to religious beliefs, just by visiting Badrinath Dham, all the sins of the devotees are destroyed and the blessings of God bring stability in life.
How to reach Char Dham:
Char Dham Yatra is a sacred pilgrimage journey. This pilgrimage can be undertaken by various modes of transportation such as road, air, or train. The road journey is the most common and preferred mode of transportation for Char Dham Yatra. It offers the opportunity to experience the scenic beauty of the Himalayas and also allows for stops at various places of cultural and historical importance. For those who wish to travel quickly, air travel is also an option. Helicopter services are available for a more comfortable and time-efficient journey. Train travel is another popular option, with the nearest railway station being in Haridwar. From there, one can hire a taxi or take a bus to reach the starting point of the pilgrimage. Whichever mode of transportation one chooses, Char Dham Yatra is a spiritual and fulfilling journey that leaves a lasting impact on the minds and hearts of pilgrims.
Now you must have known from which Dham you have to start the journey during the Chardham Yatra and at which Dham the journey will conclude the yatra. However, this journey passes through inaccessible roads, hence you should improve your health before the journey. According to the scriptures, the devotees who visit Char Dham with devotion attain salvation. A person gets freedom from the cycle of birth and death and his spiritual progress takes place.
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