Chaar Dham or four abodes is a set of four sites of pilgrimage in India. There is a belief among the Hindus that if they visit these places (chaar dham) they will achieve ‘moksha’ or salvation. The locations comprise of Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameshwaram. Given below are the details regarding the pilgrimage sites, how you can reach there, where you should stay and so on.
- Badrinath
Badrinath is a small town located in Chamoli district in Uttarakhand, India. The place is named after the temple of Badrinath which is the primary attraction of the town.
How to reach-
- By flight- The nearest airport to Badrinath is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun. The flights run smooth during the summer season. Due to adverse weather conditions in winter and monsoon, flights often get cancelled.
- By Bus- Badrinath is connected to the major cities in Uttrakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab etc. You will have to change the bus at Rishikesh. GMVN, GMOU and Trimuti Travels ply buses to Badrinath.
- By train- Haridwar is the railway station best connected to Badrinath. It connects the town to the rest of the country.
Where to stay-
There are several ashrams at Badrinath which provide food and lodging at cheap rates for all devotees. For more details, please visit www.euttaranchal.com/tourism/ashrams-in-badrinath-php
Places to see-
Here are a few places you can visit in Badrinath apart from the temple of Badrinath.
- Pandukeshwar- There are two famous temples here, namely Yogadhyan Badri Temple and Lord Vasudev Temple
- Mana Village- The last Indian village located in the district of Chamoli.
- Tapta Kund Badrinath- A hot water spring situated between Badrinath shrine and Alaknanda River.
Also read – SADHGURU ASHRAM
2. Dwarka
Dwarka is situated in Gujarat. The ancient temple, Dwarkadhish temple has a main shrine, a carved entrance and an idol of Lord Krishna made of black marble.
How to reach –
- By flight- The airport nearest to Dwarka is Jamnagar domestic airport. It is at a distance of 131 km from the place. It is connected to Mumbai by Air India. Tourists can also choose to reach the Ahmedabad airport and then take a rail or road trip to Dwarka.
- By train- A metre gauge track running from Viramgam to Okha runs through Dwarka station. The broad gauge railway line starting Ahmedabad passes through Dwarka railway station 137 kilometres after Jamnagar and ends at Okha.
- By Bus- Gujarat state transport corporation is known to provide buses from Dwarka to Surat, Rajkot and Ahmedabad. Moreover, private operators at bus stations run air-conditioned, double-decker and sleeper buses.
Where to stay-
There are many hotels near the Dwarkadhish temple. You can book a room in any of them as per your budget.
Places to see-
In addition to the Dwarkadhish temple, you can also visit the following places in Dwarka.
- Nageshwar Jyotirlinga- Tourists are mesmerised by the majestic statue of Lord Shiva which has an aesthetic appeal.
- Dwarka Beyt- This is a small island enclosed by some temples, white sand beach and coral reefs. It is also popular for its marine life, sea excursions etc.
- Rukmini Devi Temple- An architectural masterpiece, this temple is dedicated to Rukmini Devi.
4. Puri
Puri is located in the state of Odisha in Eastern India on the Bay of Bengal. It is also popularly known as Sri Jagannatha Dhama. It gets this name from the 12th-century Jagannatha Temple located there.
How to reach-
- By Flight- The nearest airport to Puri is Biju Patnaik at Bhubaneshwar. It is connected to Delhi and Mumbai.
- By Train- Regular direct train services to Puri are available from different cities of India such as Bhubaneshwar, New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata etc.
- By road- One can travel to Puri by bus. The bus stand being near the Gundicha Temple, buses are considered to be the best option to reach Puri.
Where to stay-
Since Puri is a popular tourist destination, accommodation is not a problem here. There are several hotels which offer food and lodging at reasonable rates.
Places to see-
In addition to the Jagannatha temple, there are various other tourist spots in Puri. Here are a few of them.
- Puri Beach- This is the most popular destination in Puri. Visitors can spend quality time with their companions there and can even purchase local items from the stalls set up on the beach at night.
- Chilika Lake- Located 50 km away from Puri, it is the largest inland salt-water lake. It is set amidst lush greenery and is a home to white-bellied sea eagles, flamingos and even the endangered Irrawaddy dolphins.
- Narendra Tank- This is one of the largest tanks in Odisha and is believed to be holy. There are many temples surrounding it.
4. Rameshwaram is 4th among this Chaar Dham
A town on the Pamban Island, Rameshwaram is located in the southeast Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is famous for Ramanathaswamy Temple, a Hindu Pilgrimage site.
How to reach-
- By Flight- The airport nearest to Rameshwaram is Madurai. It is connected by flights to the cities like Chennai, Trichy, Bengaluru and Mumbai. One can hire a pre-paid taxi from the airport.
- By Train- Trains from Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Bengaluru etc halt at the Rameshwaram station. You can avail a taxi from there.
- By road- Rameshwaram is well connected to the other cities of Tamil Nadu by road. The buses of Tamil Nadu Road Transport Corporation ply from Chennai, Madurai, Kanyakumari etc. to Rameshwaram. Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation buses also ply from Tirupati to Rameshwaram.
Where to stay-
Several hotels can be easily found in Rameshwaram. You can either book a costly room or a cheap one depending upon your budget.
Places to see-
In addition to the Ramanathaswamy Temple, you can also visit the following places in Rameshwaram.
- Jatayu Tirtham- This temple is built in the memory of Lord Rama’s most loyal eagle, Jatayu.
- Agniteertham- It is located on the beach side of Sri Ramanathaswamy temple and is the only teertham situated outside the temple complex.
- Lakshmana teertham- It is constructed in the memory of Lord Rama’s younger brother Lakshmana and signifies that he has been given a valuable place in Lord Rama’s dynasty.
You can book your tickets for the chaar dham through the following sites-
To know about the best lodgings, you can visit www.booking.com