Chota Char Dham: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath

The Chota Char Dham, or “small four abodes”, is a pilgrimage circuit in the Garhwal Himalaya of Uttarakhand. It joins four mountain shrines: Yamunotri, the source of the Yamuna, Gangotri, the source of the Ganga, Kedarnath, a jyotirlinga of Shiva, and Badrinath, the seat of Vishnu. The name “chota” distinguishes it from the great Char Dham of the four corners of India. It is a more modern grouping than that circuit, and the name as a single pilgrimage seems to have become common in the twentieth century, though each of the four shrines is far older.

The four shrines

Yamunotri. The shrine of the goddess Yamuna stands near the glacier from which the river rises, in the Uttarkashi district. The temple itself is small, and tradition connects it with the sage Asita. Close to it are hot springs, and pilgrims boil rice and potatoes in the water and take them as prasad. The road ends at Janki Chatti, and a walk of several kilometres follows, which pilgrims may do on foot, by pony or by palanquin.

Gangotri. The temple of Ganga stands on the Bhagirathi river, also in Uttarkashi. The legend is that King Bhagiratha performed austerity to bring the Ganga down from heaven for his ancestors, and Shiva held her in his hair to break her fall. The glacier at Gaumukh, from which the Bhagirathi flows, is some distance beyond Gangotri and is reached by a trek that needs a permit. A road reaches the temple itself.

Kedarnath. The Shiva temple at the head of the Mandakini valley is reached by a long walk from Gaurikund. The Pandava legend and the Panch Kedar are told on our Kedarnath page.

Badrinath. The Vishnu shrine on the Alaknanda is reached by road. It is also one of the four sites of the larger Char Dham, and its legend is on the Char Dham page.

The traditional order

The pilgrimage is made from west to east, in the order Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. The reason given is that a pilgrim begins at the source of the rivers, the Yamuna first and then the Ganga, as one moves up the sacred geography to Shiva and then to Vishnu. This order is also the practical one on the map, since the valleys lie in that sequence. Many travellers today vary it, because of road conditions, weather and bookings.

Pilgrims travel for at least a week, and usually more. Haridwar and Rishikesh are the usual starting points, and the journey is made by road, with some stretches on foot or by official helicopter service from selected places. The total distance is long and the roads are mountain roads.

The season

All four shrines are closed during the winter, when heavy snow covers the region. The deities are then worshipped at lower places: the Yamuna at Kharsali, the Ganga at Mukhba, Kedarnath at Ukhimath and Badrinath at Joshimath. The temples reopen in spring and close again in autumn, and the committee and the state announce the dates each year. We do not quote them here. Please read the official announcements before you plan.

The most crowded weeks are in the early part of the open season. The monsoon months bring landslides, closed roads and slippery paths, and many authorities advise caution then. Late summer and early autumn, once the rains settle, are often calmer.

Packing and pace

A week is the least most itineraries allow, and ten days is kinder. Carry layers, a rain cover, sturdy shoes with grip, a torch, a small first-aid kit, any regular medicines and some cash, because cards and mobile networks are unreliable in the valleys. Book rooms through official or well-reviewed channels, since rooms at the shrines are limited. Plan to reach each stop in daylight and leave a spare day in hand for weather, as slides can close a road for hours.

Getting there

• Airport: Jolly Grant in Dehradun is the main airport for the whole region. Check the services before you book.
• Railway: Rishikesh, Haridwar and Dehradun are the main railway stations, and the route onwards is by road.
• Registration: the state generally asks pilgrims to register before the journey, and this arrangement has changed from year to year. Read the official site of the Uttarakhand government and the Char Dham devasthanam board.

Safety and etiquette

This is a high mountain region. The height at Kedarnath and Yamunotri can cause altitude sickness, and the weather can change in an hour. Allow rest days, carry warm and waterproof clothing, drink water and stop when you are unwell. People with heart, lung or blood pressure problems, pregnant women and elderly travellers should speak to a doctor first. Do not travel by road at night in the hills, and follow any road closure notice.

At the temples, dress modestly, queue patiently and leave no waste. The mountains are fragile and plastic is a serious problem on these paths. Timings, queues, entry arrangements and fees are set by the temple committees and the state, and are not quoted here. For prayer on the way, many pilgrims chant Om Namah Shivaya and the Rudrashtakam.

Related pages

• Pilgrimage guides
• Char Dham
• Kedarnath jyotirlinga
• The twelve jyotirlingas
• Shiva Panchakshara Stotram
• Krishnashtakam

Frequently asked questions