Gangotri -Kedarnath -Badrinath

Situated on the banks of Bhagirathi River and a few kilometers from the source of Ganges, Gaumukh, Gangotri is the second shrine of the Chardham Package. A natural rock Shivling is submerged under water in Gangotri and can be seen easily in winters when the water levels in the river are low. According to the Hindu Mythology this was the place where Lord Shiva was sitting when he received Ganga falling from heaven in his matted locks to save earth from its force. Gangotri is the most important temple of Goddess Ganga. The present temple was built by Amar Singh Thapa, a Gorkha General in the early 18th century. The source of Ganges, Gaumukh is 18 km from Gangotri and it can be reached by trekking. The place holds great importance for Hindus and is a major pilgrimage spot. The temple opens in May and gets closed on the day of Diwali.

One of the twelve Jyotirlingas and the third of the Chardham in Uttarakhand, the magnificent temple of Kedarnath is situated at the height of 3581 m and is dedicated to the Sadashiv form of Lord Shiva. According to legends the Kedarnath shrine was built by Pandavas after the war of Mahabharat. The present day temple was built by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century AD. Kedarnath is a part of five temples dedicated to Losrd Shiva in Uttarakhand collectively known as Panch Kedar. The other four are: Tungnath, Rudranath, Mad Maheshwar and Kalpeshwar. There are many Kunds in the Kedarnath Peeth. Among these Shiv Kund is considered as the most important one and the Rudhir Kund is famous for its water that is red in color. The glacial source of Mandakini river and Gandhi Sarovars are located only a few kilometers from the Temple. This dham is located at the highest altitude among the Chardham and thus is cold throughout the year and also has lesser levels of oxygen.

The revered shrine of Badrinath, a part of the Chardham of Uttarakhand (Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath) as well as the Chardham of India (Badrinath, Jagannath Puri, Rameshwaram and Dwarkapuri), is situated between the Nar and Narayan peaks on the banks of Alaknanda. It is the largest and the most revered among the Panch Badri. It is believed that Adi Guru Shankaracharya built the four pilgrimages in four corners of the country, today known and the Chardham of India, in the 8th century to revive the lost prestige of Hinduism and unite the country in one bond. Badri refers to a berry that used to grow in abundance in the area where Badrinath is situated today and Nath refers to lord Vishnu. According the Hindu legends Lord Vishnu did a long penance in the area and Godess Lakshmi took the form of blue berries to protect him in the harsh climate. Every year the temple is open between the months or April and November. The opening date is Basant Pachami and the closure is done on Vijaydashmi by the Mandir Committee.