In the Lap of the Heavenly Himalayas... The CHAR DHAM Yatra

I have long left the mountains and the rivers… I am actually writing this almost 4 months later… but how I still long for the Himalayas…

For many years now, my Dad has had a strong desire to do a Char Dham Yatra. But, due to some unavoidable circumstances, it got cancelled every time leaving him disappointed…

It was sometime at the end of October 2010… Festive season of Diwali was fast approaching. We were contemplating the choices of destinations where we could head to during the holidays when my Dad suggested – Char Dham.

What is Char Dham?

The Char Dham (literally meaning four abodes) of the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand represents all three major Hindu sects and consists of one Vaishnava site (Badrinath) joined by one Shiva site (Kedarnath) and two Shakti sites (Gangotri and Yamunotri).

However, this should not be confused with the bigger Char Dham circuit situated at the four corners of India namely Jagannathpuri, Rameshwaram, Dwarka and Badrinath, all of them either dedicated or linked to the incarnations of Lord Vishnu.

Both the sets of Char Dham were grouped together by the great 8th century reformer and philosopher Adi Shankaracharya. According to various ancient Hindu scriptures, a yatra (pilgrimage) to these Char Dhams is said to be of paramount significance in any Hindu religious believer’s life.

Char Dham – Then and Now

In the years gone by, the Yatra was a lot tougher than what it is today. Hence, generally it was undertaken by the older people. The last rites and rituals of these people was performed even before they left their homes for this pilgrimage as it would take months to complete the circuit and with no motor able roads combined with harsh weather, landslides, cloudbursts and of course old age, there was that uncertainty if they would ever return back.

My mother recounts of how they had organized grand celebrations when her grandmother had arrived after completing the coveted course. She had alighted straight at a temple and everyone, who’s who of the locality, had gathered to welcome her. There was a bhandara (feast) for all and everyone touched her feet.

Thus, people who made it back were almost revered but what is more astounding is that those who couldn’t were considered even more blessed! They were regarded as the few fortunate ones to leave for the eternal abode from Gods own land – The Himalayas.

Today however, a pilgrimage to the Char Dham is relatively simpler… with all the modern luxuries of cars and connectivity; it just takes around 15 days to complete the entire route. What has remained constant with the changing times, though, is its significance, its importance. Even today, a pilgrimage to the Char Dham is revered as the ultimate pilgrim destination in a Hindu religious believer’s life.

My Reaction

Needless to say then, that a trip to the coveted circuit of Char Dham, to the Himalayas got me excited. I was taken back some 16 years ago (when I had visited Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath)… and though I don’t remember much, some faint memories came rushing back.

But there were some apprehensions too, as we were to travel in the off season just before the closing of the temple gates. News that was pouring in from the media and people who had just returned from the place was not pleasant either - landslides, heavy snowfall and harsh weather conditions - these fears got us thinking…

Well, ‘Us’ meant my mother, brother and me! My father was already out there, we realized, busy chalking out the plans…