Chardham in India – Interesting things to know about Chardham

 

The divine location of Chardham in India is popular for its religious values. A lot of us might have taken a trip to the Chardham of Uttarakhand, but there are a lot of interesting facts about the four holy places in India that very few of us know about. We all know that Chardham in India includes four holy places. These places are Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri.

Each of these sacred places has its own importance in our hearts. People from different parts of India and abroad. Completing the trip to Chardham in India is believed to grant salvation or moksha. Since all the four places are very old, there are a lot of things still hidden about the ancient temples.

In this blog today, we are going to share some thrilling facts about Chardham in India. We are pretty sure that you have never heard of these interesting things about Chardham before.

Interesting facts to know about Chardham in Uttarakhand

1. The shrine of Lord Badrinath was located in the Garud Caves

The present location of the Badrinath Temple was not the original location. The Badrinath idol was discovered by Adi Shankaracharya near the river Alakananda. That is where he set up the Badrinath Temple. This was near the Garud Caves located at the hot springs of Tapt Kund. However, centuries later, the King of Garhwal shifted the location of the shrine to the present location.

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2. The natural rock Shivalinga of Gangotri is only visible in winters

This is a very fascinating thing about Gangotri. There is a natural rock, which is also known as the Jalamagna Shivalinga. You can only see it during the winters at Gangotri. For the rest of the year, it remains submerged in the waters. This is why it is called Jalamagna Shivalinga. During winter when the water level is down, you can see the Shivalinga. This is also the place where Lord Shiva held Goddess Ganga in his luscious dreadlocks.

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3. The water of Surya Kund is used for cooking the prasad at Yamunotri

Surya Kund is a hot water spring located near Yamunotri glacier. This hot water spring is also very sacred to the Hindus. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Surya or the Sun is the father of Yamuna. Thus, even when the lake is surrounded by the snow-clad Himalayas, you will find the water of the lake to be hot. The temperature of the lake water remains around 88 degrees throughout the year.

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4. Did you know that the hind part of Lord Shiva is worshipped in Kedarnath?

This is another fascinating fact about Kedarnath. The hind part of Lord Shiva’s body is worshipped in Kedarnath. There is a very interesting story to it. After the Pandavas won in the Kurukshetra battle, they were filled with sorrow and remorse because of the killing of their brothers. They wanted forgiveness and salvation.

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Thus, they searched for Lord Shiva but they could not find him. Finally, Bheema found Lord Shiva who was disguised as a bull. Lord Shiva didn’t want to meet them. Thus, he immersed himself into the earth, leaving his hind part behind. This is why the hind part of Lord Shiva is worshipped in Kedarnath.

5. A Shivalinga is created where Yudhishthira’s finger fell

On their celestial pathway to heaven, one of the fingers of Dharmaraj Yudhishtira fell off. At the same place, a Shivalinga was created which is equal to the size of Yudhishthira’s thumb. This is a unique and fascinating thing about Chardham.

6. An interesting story of Gauri Kund

Gauri Kund is the place where Goddess Parvati attained Lord Shiva as her husband. Located in Rudraprayag, Gauri Kund is at an altitude of 6500 feet above sea level. This place serves as the base camp for the pilgrims. According to mythology, people believe that this is the place where Goddess Parvati meditated for 100 years to get Lord Shiva as her husband.

7. The Badrinath Temple was initially a Buddhist Shrine

During the rule of King Ashoka, the Badrinath Temple was worshipped as a Buddist Shrine. According to the history books, the idol of Lord Badrinath was found by Adiguri Shankaracharya from the Narad Kund. However, apart from this, there is also another record of the origin of the Badrinath Temple.

Some of the accounts state that there was a Buddhist Shrine before Adiguru Shankaracharya discovered the idol of Lord Badrinath. Also, if you look at the architecture, the brightly painted facade of the Badrinath Temple is identical to the Buddhist Vihara (Temple).

8. The origin of Lord Vishnu’s name as Badri

Lord Vishnu’s name as Badri was originally derived from Goddess Laxmi’s incarnation of a berry tree. The legend is, when Lord Vishnu went to the mountains for his penance, his wife Goddess Laxmi became a berry tree to protect him from the heat of the sun. Goddess Laxmi also stood by him for years to offer him the shade and years later she turned into a huge berry tree. The tree was also named Badri Vishal and her consort Lord Vishnu became, Badrinath.

9. Tapt Kund, aka a sulfur water spring, has medicinal properties

In the Badrinath Temple, there is a hot water spring comprising sulfur. It is also known as Tapt Kund. This hot water spring has medicinal properties. People also believe that this hot water spring is also the home of God Agni, the lord of fire. Before visiting the Badrinath Temple, people take a dip in the holy waters of the Tapt Kund. The temperature of the water remains as hot as 55 degrees Celcius all throughout the year.

10. It is not allowed to blow Shankh in Badrinath Temple

Even though the Shankh is one of the most favorite instruments of Lord Vishnu, you are not allowed to blow Shankh inside Badrinath Temple. The story is, when sage Agasthya was slaying the demons in Kedarnath, two of the most infamous demons, Atapi and Vatapi fled away from there. Atapi remained hidden inside the Mandakini River, while Vatapi hid inside the Shankh. Since then, people believe that if anyone tries to blow the Shankh, the demon will come out.

Also, the science behind not blowing the Shankh is, since the Badrinath Temple remains covered in snow most of the time of year, blowing the Shankh will create an echo. This is a unique phenomenon that creates turbulence in the ecology and can cause ice storms. Thus, it can endanger human life.

These are some interesting facts about Chardham in India. My Tirth India offers the most affordable and customizable deals on the Chardham Yatra tour package. Also, you can opt for the Helicopter services at Chardham.