Char Dham meaning four abodes, is a group of four pilgrimage sites in India. It is believed that visiting these sites helps in attaining Moksha (salvation).
The Char Dhams are Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameshwaram. It is believed that every Hindu must visit the Char Dhams in their lifetime.What is Char Dham:
The Char Dham as defined by
Adi Shankaracharya consists of four Hindu pilgrimage sites. These main 'Dham' are the temples of Bhagwan Vishnu and Rameswaram is the temple of Bhagwan Shiva. All 'Dham' are related to four Yugas,
Satyug's Dham - Badrinath Uttarakhand, Treta Yug's Dham - Rameshwaram Tamil Nadu, Dwapar Yug's Dham - Dwarka Gujarat, Kaliyug's Dham - Jagannath Puri, Odisha.
Shankaracharya has built four Hindu monastic institutions in the Char Dham of Hinduism, which are famous as
Sankaracharya Peethas.
This is the most important task in the life of a devotee of Hinduism. According to their religious belief, spiritual journey or holy pilgrimage is known as Tirtha Yatra in Sanskrit. This tour is one of the five major duties of Hindu life or the purpose of life on earth. It is about the attainment of Moksha, the highest form of liberation.
What to do after returning from Chardham Yatra?
❀ After returning from the Char Dham Yatra, devotees are required to take a holy dip in the holy rivers.
❀ Perform holy yagna at home and invite near and dear ones to participate in the rituals.
❀ Share your travel experiences, philosophy stories with everyone.
❀ Distribute Bhog Prasad, Dakshina to all the needy and poor.
❀ Go to the Gaushala and do service.
❀ Chant daily and read Bhagwat Geeta.
In short, you can say that the importance of Char Dham Yatra is like a personal intimate and spiritual experience with the divine. The sacred journey creates a close relationship with the devotee or follower and highly sacred rivers and sites.