Chota Char Dham

Chota Char Dham is located in Uttarakhand
Kedarnath
Kedarnath
Badrinath
Badrinath
Gangotri
Gangotri
Yamunotri
Yamunotri
Chota Char Dham
Religion
AffiliationHinduism
DeityVishnu (Badrinath)
Shiva (Kedarnath)
Ganga (Gangotri)
Yamuna (Yamunotri)
Location
StateUttarakhand
CountryIndia
Architecture
TypeNorth Indian architecture
CompletedUnknown

The Chota Char Dham (lit. 'the small four abodes/seats' or 'the small circuit of four abodes/seats') is an important modern Hindu pilgrimage circuit[1] in Uttarakhand, in the Indian Himalayas. Located in the Garhwal region of the state of Uttarakhand, the circuit consists of four sites—Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath.[2] Badrinath is also one of the four destinations (with each destination being in different corners of the country) of the longer Char Dham from which the Chota Char Dham likely draws its name.[3][4]

Akshaya Tritiya (April or May in the Gregorian calendar) marks the beginning of the Chota Char Dham Yatra and closes two days after Diwali, on the day of Bhai-Bij (or Bhai Dooj)[5] In May and June, tourists flock in large numbers, due to heavy rainfall greater chances of roadblocks or landslides in late July and August during monsoon season.

The Annual Chota Char Dham Yatra resumed in May 2014, after being suspended during the 2013 Uttarakhand floods. The footfall has now improved due to proactive measures taken by the government of Uttarakhand.[6] In 2022, in just two months (10 June – 10 August), 2.8 million pilgrims have visited these Dhams.[7]

A record 4.1 million pilgrims visited Chota Char dham in 2022.[8] Over 1.4 million pilgrims have already visited Kedarnath, over 600,000 have visited Gangotri, and over 500,000 have visited Yamunotri. Around 1.5 million pilgrims have already visited Badrinath the same year.[9]

  1. ^ Chardham to get rail connectivity; Indian Railways pilgrimage linking project to cost Rs 43.29k crore, India.com, 12 May 2017
  2. ^ Chard Dham Yatra Archived 12 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine – Govt. of Uttarakhand (Official website)
  3. ^ Char Dham yatra kicks off as portals open – Hindustan Times
  4. ^ Destination Profiles of the Holy Char Dhams, Uttarakhand
  5. ^ "Char Dham Yatra Opening Dates – Badrinath Kedarnath Gangotri Temples 2021 Closing Opening Dates". chardham.euttaranchal.com. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  6. ^ "Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib Yatra to restart from May 2014". IANS. news.biharprabha.com. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  7. ^ "Uttarakhand: 28 lakh pilgrims visit Char Dham in 60 days, choppers flying like auto-rickshaws, experts warn of consequences". The Times of India. 10 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Char Dham Yatra | Travel Guide to Char Dham (2022)".
  9. ^ "PM Modi Dons Traditional 'Chola Dora' Hand Made by Chamba Women for Prayers in Uttarakhand". 21 October 2022.