The Chardham Yatra has special spiritual significance for the Hindus. In the 8th century Adi Guru Shankaracharya coined the words 'Char Dhams' and used it in relation to his venture of reviving the Hindu Religion. Guru Shankaracharya was a great philosopher who worked quite diligently towards reviving Hinduism and saving its essence forever on earth. Thus all pious Hindus embark on the Chardham yatra to consolidate their faith in God and also to prove themselves as a true follower of Hinduism.
With the incidence of crime and amoral activities preying on humanity somewhere down the line we are desperate to cling to some sort of a support, an anchor that would keep us steady, when we find the value-systems toppling down all around us in a storm of amoral-ism and hooliganism that today is playing havoc on the entire world. This anchor or support for us is none other than our religion, our spiritual thoughts and ideas into which we take refuge to save ourselves from being ravaged by a society that is deeply tainted with malice. This explains why millions of pilgrims putting their life at stake, undergoing countless hardships undertake the Chardham Yatra every year. The Chardhams of Uttarakhand, namely, Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath are the Chota Chardhams; i.e. a microcosm of the Chardhams on the four corners of the country namely Badrinath in North, Rameshwarm in South, Puri in East and Dwarka in West. Even if a Hindu cannot embark on the Maha parikrama of the bigger Chardham Circuit which is of course time-taking and difficult, going on a pilgrimage tour to the Chota Chardhams, will serve the same purpose.In other words, Chota Chardham Circuit Yatra is your short cut route to sin ablution and salvation. Nestled in the lap of the snowcapped mighty Garhwal Himalayas the various shrines of the Chota char dhams will indeed make you feel that you have arrived into God's abode where spirituality and godliness is always in the air around. The Chardham Yatra is usually initiated from Haridwar (Gateway to God's Abode) and then you usually move from the West towards the East. Thus first comes, the Yamunotri Shrine, then Gangotri Shrine, then Kedarnath Shrine and lastly the Badrinath Shrine. Goddess Yamuna is the deity to whom belongs the Yamunotri Shrine, Goddess Ganga is the deity to whom belongs the Gangotri shrine. Kedarnath Shrine belongs to Lord Shiva and Badrinath Shrine belongs to Lord Vishnu. After trekking the rugged and risky hilly course when you finally offer your puja at all the four Chardham Shrines and your Chardham yatra is complete, the peace and solace you experience at the bottom of your heart would make your realize at once why people take so much pains and hardships to visit the Chardhams. In other words with a pure heart you go back and perhaps as a better human being too after embarking on the Chardham yatra and completing it successfully. So in the Hindu Religious and cultural ethos the importance of Chardham yatra is truly immense.
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