Char dham means four abodes of Hindu deities. Char in Hindi means four and dham means home. Char dham yatra is a religious tour carried out by Hindus. It is highly sacred to them. They believe that this yatra help them to wash away their past sins. For the sake of purification they carry out this yatra as it is a tour where soul meets Supreme soul. Thus, pilgrims carry out this tour at least once in their life time. It is believed one who carry out this pious yatra will be spared from the never ending cycle of life and death.

Char dham yatra of Uttarakhand is also known as chota char dham. It means a small circuit tour which is located in state of Uttarakhand. It is carried out in a circular direction:

• Yamunotri,
• Gangotri,
• Kedarnath and
• Badrinath

Origin:-

Earlier this small circuit tour was very difficult to carry out as it required lengthy walking. Since all four abodes are perched at hilltop, visiting them was not very easy one. Earlier tour was only carried out by religious professionals and other enthusiasts who enjoyed traveling. Even Hindus who stayed nearby theses abodes below in the plains rarely made a visit as walking trials were not very well defined. They could only think of visiting this yatra once in their life time and could not dare to carry out yearly.

In 1962 India and China faced a war. As a consequence, India showed some interest and build roads to border area and also spent money on infrastructural development. This improved accessibility to these abodes of Gods. Tourists thereby could reach by buses or taxis to the nearest point and carried out rest of the yatra on foot. These developments resulted in increase in Char dham popularity as well as importance.

Best Time to Visit:-

Char dham are covered by snow most of the time of the year. In month of April snow starts to melt and road to Char dham become accessible to tourists. Yatra begins on auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya which falls in the month of April and is continued till October. Doors are closed after Diwali Pooja. Most of the pilgrims from nearby plains wish to carry out this yatra on Akshaya Tritiya as soon as door of deities open and also in initial weeks. Thus, one experiences heavy rush in the beginning. There after, rush decreases a little. Monsoon begins in the month of July and lasts for almost two months. This time is better avoided as monsoon rains cause difficulty in trekking. Trials become difficult posing risk of frequent landslides. Tourists visiting in this season have experienced these difficulties and have stuck in these regions for weeks together. Some tourists visit this yatra after monsoon. Greenery of the mountains surrounding these sites become scenic. Best time to visit this tour is couple of weeks later after commencement of Char dham yatra to avoid heavy rush and before beginning of monsoon to avoid risk and danger.

Gateway to Char dham Yatra:-

Haridwar and its nearby town Rishikesh are considered to be gateway for this pious yatra. Both these places are very sacred and important pilgrim sites. River Ganges which is considered to be of great religious importance flows in both these sites. Pilgrims take a bath in ghats of either of these places to wash away all their sins and purify themselves. Water here is believed to purify sins of devotees coming here and taking a dip with complete devotion. Both in morning and evening on ghats of Haridwar and Rishikesh, Maha Aarti is performed. It is an altogether different experience to witness it especially evening aarti with hundreds of floating lamps in sacred Ganges river. It gives a soothing experience and rejuvenating effect to mind.

Mode of Transportation:-

There are various modes of transportation to visit Char dham. Government buses run to various nearby places of Char dham but are not very frequent. However, frequency increases during peak season. It is cheap mode but seats are not confirmed. It is suitable for budget travelers and local-ides who knows the route well.

One can either travel in rented taxi or in their own vehicle. Shared taxis are also available from Haridwar or Rishikesh and even Dehradun. While traveling in own vehicle, it is preferred to hire a good driver as roads are curvy and very tricky. To avoid risk an experienced and registered driver should be hired.

Now a days, lots of packages are offered. Organized packaged tour takes care of everything like accommodation, food, traveling expenses and letting one free from burden of planning. They offer ek dham, do dham, teen dham or a complete small circuit tour of char dham. One can chose any tour depending on their budget and number of days available. They offer budget, standard and luxurious packages keeping in mind needs of all the travelers. Before choosing any packaged tour or before hiring a taxi, care should be taken that it is government registered. Now a days, helicopter rides are also made available to visit four abodes, cutting off time and allowing pilgrims with health difficulties to visit this tour very easily. Uttarakhand Government also provides lots of organized packages which are quite reasonable and well planned.

Yamunotri:-

It is seat of Yamuna river who is considered to be Goddess in Hindu religion. It is a site where river Yamuna originates. It is situated in Garhwal division of Uttarakhand state atop a flank of hill of Bandar Poonch. It is located in Uttarkashi district. It lies in proximity to border of India and China. It is surrounded by sky touching mountains on all sides. It is at a height of 3,293 mt above sea level.

One can take a bus plying from Haridwar or Rishikesh or even Dehradun to Barkot. Shared taxis ply from Barkot to Hanuman Chatti. From there one has to trek to visit Yamunotri. No vehicle roads are available. Most of the tourists prefer to have an accommodation at Barkot. There are number of tourist lodges both in Barkot and Hanuman Chatti. Early in the morning one can carry out their treks all the way from Hanuman Chatti to Yamunotri or can go to Janki Chatti in shared taxis and from there can trek to Yamunotri. Ponies and dandies are also available for the pilgrims who cannot trek. It is a little difficult trek when compared with Kedarnath trek. Almost 6 hours are required to cover the distance and the last half a kilometer is a bit steep but offer panoramic views. One requires to trek 6 km from Hanuman Chatti and 4 km from Janki Chatti. Yamunotri temple was constructed by Maharaja Pratap Shah. Deity in temple is present in the form of black colored marble. Deity is renowned for her frivolousness. Legends say the reason behind it is mother of Goddess Yamuna never made an eye contact with her husband because of his dazzling personality.

Back side of the temple a water fall is located. Also a few hot water springs are located near the temple. But most important of all of them is Surya Kund. Here devotees cook rice and potatoes tied in muslin cloth. This is considered to be Prasad. It is first offered to deity and then distributed among pilgrims. Some pilgrims living in nearby areas carry it to their homes and distribute among others. Near Surya Kund, a shila can be spotted. It is named as Divya Shila. Before visiting temple of Yamunotri, devotees take a bath in Yamuna Bai Kund which is a water tank and offer pooja to Divya Shila. Yamuna Bai Kund is located on Banderpoonch peak at western flank.

Kalind mountain is located at a height of 4,421 mt from sea level. Here a lake is situated which is almost frozen. This is known by name Champasar Glacier. It is original and actual source of Goddess Yamuna River. It is 1 km from the temple. Trekking is very difficult and thus not generally accessible. This was the reason that Yamunotri temple was built on foot hill and not on Champasar Glacier. Legends say that Asit Muni lived in Yamunotri. He regularly took a dip in both Ganges and Yamuna river. He could not visit Gangotri because of his old age and thus deity Herself appeared in a form of stream opposite river Yamuna.

Temple of Yamunotri closes after Diwali Pooja. Thereafter deity is carried to Kharsali village. Pandas performing rituals at Yamunotri dham also come from Kharsali village which is located near Janki Chatti. It is famous for its cascades, oak and conifer trees meadow and thermal springs. There is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva which is carved out of wood and one can also see an amazing stone work. Janki Chatti is also known for its holy thermal springs. Hanuman Chatti is known for confluence of river Yamuna with river Hanuman Ganga. There are a lot of temples located in this place and it also offers an adventurous trek to its visitors. It is starting point for Dodital trek and Yamunotri trek. There is a lake which is 10 km away from Yamunotri which is named as Saptarishi Kund. It is end point of Yamuna glacier. It is a famous picnic spot. Naturally carved slate stones add to its beauty.

From Hanuman Chatti, adventure lovers can opt for Dodital trek. It is a birth place of Lord Ganesha. It is located at a height of 3,307 mt above sea level surrounded by dense forests of oak, deodar and rhododendrons. This lake is mystery in itself as its depth is still unknown. There is another high altitude meadow known as Dayara Bugyal located at 3,048 mt. It is 28 km stretch of green carpet. There is a a small lake present which is natural and is named as Barnala Tal. Barkot is 49 km from Yamunotri. It is located at an altitude of 1,220 mt famous for its breath taking landscape and an ancient temple visited by large number of tourists. From here one can get a picture perfect view of Banderpoonch peak along with other Himalayan mountains. It serves as a base camp for many adventurous treks.

Gangotri:-

Gangotri is origin of Goddess river Ganges located in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand at a height of 3,100 mt from sea level. It is located on banks of river Bhagirathi. Goddess Ganges to wash away sins of ancestors of King Bhagirath came on the earth in the form of river after his devotedly severe penance which he did for several centuries. Lord Shiva gave a reward to King Bhagirath for centuries of his penance. Ganges is a result of king's reward. Lord Shiva caught her in his locks as he did not wanted earth to get devastated. This is the reason Ganges acquired the name Bhagirathi.

Temple of Gangotri was built by Gurkha general Amar Singh Thapa. Temple is built of white granite at a height of 20 ft. It opens on auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya and closes on Yama Dwitiya or Bhai Duj which falls after Diwali. Temple remains closed for rest of the year. Deity during this period is worshiped at Mukhwa  which is located near Harsil. At origin point the river is called as Bhagirathi and from Devprayag where it meets river Alaknanda it gets its name Ganges. River originates at Gaumukh which is at 14,000 ft. It derives its name as it looks like mouth of a cow. It is a glacier which is 19 km from main temple of Gangotri and requires a strenuous trekking. There is a natural rock which is submerged and worshiped as partial Shivaling. It is located near Gangotri temple. It denotes the spot where Goddess Ganges first came to the earth.

There is also present Pandu Gufa which is known to consist of holy shrine called as Bhagirath Shila. This is the spot where King Bhagirath meditated. It is 1.5 km trek from Gangotri. One can also opt to trek Shivling peak located near Gaumukh. Tapovan meadow and Nandanvan are located nearby which are almost picture perfect and attracts large number of toursits. Peaks of Himalayas falling in Garhwal region can be seen from here. Around 10 km from Gangotri there is a point where river Bhagirathi meets with Jat Ganga popularly known as Bhairon Ghati. On the way one has to come across Jahanvi river. Bhairon Nath Temple is also located in Bharion Ghati region. To experience holy thermal springs and to enjoy nature at its best Gangnani can be visited where again one can capture best views of snow capped peaks.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Shakti Temple are visited by many tourists visiting Gangotri Temple. Kashi Vishwanath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and was built by Parasuram. Shiva is worshiped in the form of Shivling. In Shakti Temple, one can come across big Trishul which is almost 6 mt high and 90 cm at the base. This temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga and it is believed that deity herself had used this Trishul to kill devils.

To reach Gangotri from Yamunotri or direct from Haridwar or Rishikesh one needs to drive all the way to Harshil. Most of the tourists stay here and continue their journey to Gangotri next day. This region is not only famous for its panoramic views but also known for its rajma and apple. There is a water fall located here and is named as Mandakini as shooting of Bollywood film "Ram teri Ganga maili" was done here and a scene was shot picturing heroine Mandakini under same water fall. There is a story behind the name of this place. It is believed that river Jalandhari and river Bhagirathi wanted to know who was more important and great among them. Lord Hari who is also known as Lord Vishnu was asked to interfere. Deity took form of a large stone to absorb anger of both rivers. Thus, even today when these two rivers cross Harsil they become less rapid. Harsil is located at a distance of 72 km from Uttarkashi. From Harsil after another 21 km travel by bus or taxi one can reach Gangotri temple.

This dham does not require any trekking and is easily approachable by vehicles. Number of shops are located in Gangotri which sell prasad or offerings to offer deity. Devotees often carry holy water of river Ganges in bottles or in cans available in these shops to all the way to their homes. Water is considered to be pure and holy and thus used in almost all rituals. On the other side of Gangotri temple, accommodation facilities are also available.

Kedarnath:-

Kedarnath is located at a height of 3,583 mt in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. It is surrounded by snow-wrapped mountains. Thus, it attracts not only pilgrims but also trekkers. It is located near Chorabari Glacier which is actually head of Mandakini river.

Kedarnath temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva who is worshiped as Kedarnath. Temple remains closed for 6 months due to heavy snow fall. Temple opens on Akshaya Tritiya which usually falls in the month of April and closes on Karthik Purnima after Diwali. During rest of the period of the year, deity is carried all the way to Ukhimath and worshiped there.

Nearest road head is at Gaurikund which is 14 km from Kedarnath. From there, pilgrims have to trek up to Kedarnath dham. Pony service is available. Helicopter rides are also made available for convenience. After Gangotri dham darshan, pilgrims come back to Harsil and from there via Uttarkashi travel to Rudraprayag. Uttarkashi to Rudraprayag is almost 175 km. From Rudraprayag one has to come to Gaurikund which is the end road and from there one needs to trek to Kedarnath dham.

Kedarnath dham is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga's and is considered to be very sacred. Adi Shankaracharya revived it in 8th century A.D. Temple was known to be built by Pandavas. They had done penance here to please Lord Shiva. Temple structure includes Garbhagriha and Mandapa. Statue of Nandi made out of rock stands exact opposite of inner shrine. Temple is surrounded by magnificent views of snow-wrapped mountains and glaciers. Backside of this temple, one can spot samadhi mandir of Adi Shankaracharya who attained salvation here.

Inside the temple, statues of Pandavas, Lord Krishna, Nandi are present along with Guard of Shiva known by the name Virabhadra and also one can have a view of vehicle of Lord Shiva. Inside main hall, one can find statues of many deities along with statue of Draupadi. There is a carving of man's head in the form of triangular stone fascia. Priests worshiping Kedarnath deity during winters move to Ukhimath where for the rest of 6 months all rituals are worshiped. There are a total of five main priests and each priest on rotation basis every year becomes head priest. Head priest belongs to Karnataka and chanting is also done in Kannada.

On east of main Kedarnath temple, Bhairava temple is located. Deity of Bhairava temple is Bhairava who is known to protect the whole of the town and valley during winters. The most important place to be visited during Kedarnath dham yatra is Guptakashi. Temple is known for its architecture. Legends say that Lord Shiva hid in Guptakashi as Lord wanted to delay his meeting with Pandavas who were meditating in Kedarnath. Around 1 km trek from Kedarnath temple, Gandhi Sarovar is located. It is a beautiful lake popularly known as Chorabari Tal. It is named as Gandhi Sarovar as some ashes of Gandhiji were immersed in it. Lake is very scenic as it provides magnificent sight of floating ice over it and is situated amidst rhododendron forest which definitely adds to its beauty.

Close to Ukhimath, there is a temple dedicated to Goddess Kali known as Kalimath which is at a height of 1,800 mt. This temple is mostly visited during Navratri. There is another magnificent lake known as Vasuki Tal which can be visited by crossing Chatruangi and Vasuki glaciers. At a height of 1,982 mt Gaurikund is located where Goddess Parvati worshiped Lord Shiva. There is a hot water spring known for its medicinal value. A beautiful small town of Sonprayag should never be missed out in the journey as it provides a scenic experience of confluence of river Sone-Ganga with river Mandakini. Pilgrims take a dip here for good fortune. Around 12 km from Sonprayag there is a place known as Trijuginarayan. Here Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati got married and there is an eternal flame opposite temple that had witnessed the marriage.

Wild life lovers can visit Kedarnath wild life sanctuary and can get amazed with different kinds of flora and fauna present there which mainly includes pine, oak, alpine etc..... Snow leopards, sambhar, black bears and many other animals are also found here especially Kedarnath musk deer. Along with this various birds like Himalayan Monal pheasant, koklass pheasant etc..... are also widely seen here.

Badrinath:-

Badrinath is located in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand at an elevation of 3,100 mt on banks of river Alaknanda. Badri refers to a "berry" and nath in Hindi means "Lord". It is located 24 km away from Tibet border. It can be reached by road. One can reach Badrinath directly by taking a bus from Haridwar or Rishikesh which are approximately around 300 km away. Joshimath to Badrinath is 42 km away.

Temple of Badrinath is dedicated to Lord Vishnu who is worshiped in the form of Badri. It is a holy site for Vaishnavites. Lord here is present is the form of black colored stone statue which is 1 mt tall. Statue is considered to be self-manifested. Head priest of this temple is chosen from Kerala. Opposite Badrinath temple one can see Nar Parbat mountain. Neelkanth peak which is at an elevation of 6,596 mt is located 9 km from Badrinath. Behind Neelkanth peak Narayan parbat is located. Town of Badrinath lies between mountain ranges of Nar and Narayan.

Temple of Badrinath has a sanctum, worship hall and convention hall. Roof of sanctum is conical in shape. There is a small cupola on top. Main shrine comprises of statue of Badrinarayan located under Badri tree. Statue holds conch, wheel and is in Padmasana posture. Apart from main deity one can also find images of Nar, Narayana, Kubera, Narada. Around the temple one can find other deities like Lakshmi, Navadurga, Garuda etc..... One peculiar thing noticed here is all idols are black in color. There is also a shrine of saint Adi Shankaracharya.

Below the temple Tapt Kund is located. A number of hot water springs here contain sulphur in it and are considered to be of medicinal value and thus pilgrims take full advantage of it to cure their diseases. There are two water ponds located in the temple. They are named as Narad Kund and Surya Kund. Temple was revived by Adi Shankara in 9th century.

Badrinath is a sacred place to Vishnu. Legends say that this town was filled with Badri trees and Lord Vishnu meditated here under Badri trees. Goddess Lakshmi stood beside Lord to shelter him from scorching sun rays herself turned into a Badri. Lord became Badri Nath and Goddess became Badri Vishal. Mountains surrounding Badrinath are mentioned in Mahabharatha. This area is called as Badarikaashram in Hindu scriptures. This temple is one of five shrines among Panch Badri all of which dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

Mata Murti ka Mela is a festival celebrated here to commemorate descent of Goddess Ganges on earth. River Ganges was divided into 12  channels to protect earth from getting destroyed and this was done by mother of Badrinath. During Mata Murti ka Mela mother of Badrinath is worshiped. This festival is celebrated in June and lasts for eight days. Mata Murti Mandir is located 3 km away from Badrinath temple. Another festival celebrated here is Badri Kedar festival which is also celebrated for 8 days. Temple of Badrinath remains closed for most of the year due to heavy snow fall. It opens in Vasant Panchami on April and closes on Vijayadasami which falls in month of October. On closure day a lamp filled with ghee is lit to last for 6 months. This is known as Akhanda Jyothi. Image of Lord Badrinath there after is brought to Jyotirmath which is located 64 km from Badrinath temple. Here image is transferred to Narasimha temple.

Every day rituals performed in Badrinath temple include ablution, abhishek, reading of Bhagavadgeeta and Bhagavat puja in the morning. In the evening, geet govinda and aarti are done. Once aarti is performed, sandalwood paste is applied to deity. This prasad is then given to devotees on next day. Prasad given here is dry leaves and sugar balls along with Panchamrit.

Trek of 4 km from Mana village will lead to Vasudhara falls which is at a height of 400 feet. Satopanth lake offers amazing views and it leads to Swargarohini peak. From this peak, Yudhishthir and his dog were sent to heaven. This lake was the point where Pandu son Bheema was denied to enter inside heaven. King Pandu built Pandukeshwar around 24 km from Badrinath and at Pandukeshwar, two temples are dedicated to Lord Vasudev and Lord Yoga Badri Narayan can be visited.

60 km away from Badrinath, there is a place named as Auli which is famous for paragliding and attracts numerous skiers from around the world. It is connected with Joshimath through a cable car which is considered to be Asia's longest cable car. Joshimath becomes home of Lord Badrinath during winter months. 10 km away from Joshimath, Tapovan hot water spring is located which is of great medicinal importance. Chenab valley filled with flowers of wide varieties like marigold, orchids, daisies, primulas etc..... can be visited for fun which is located just 28 km away from Joshimath.

Fun and Adventure During Char Dham Yatra:-

Char dham is located in Garhwal region of Uttarakhand state which is not only home to snow-wrapped gigantic Himalayan peaks, thick forests, magnificent glaciers but also home to various deities. Among them, Char dham is the most sacred one. Fun and adventure begins as soon as one makes an entry point in the panoramic state of Uttarakhand. This state promises fun and amazing memories to all its tourists irrespective of their purpose of visit. This tour attracts tourists from all around the world. Such is its beauty and charm. It refreshes one's mind by creating fresh ambiance as everything present here is pure and fresh, may it be air or water. It is blessed with natural beauty and thus it's natural to be lost in its splendor charm. Best thing about Char dham yatra is its geographical location which makes way for all sorts of adventure activities to be carried out in this region.

Char dham yatra is always done in a clockwise direction, starts from Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and concludes at Badrinath. Each dham is perched atop of a hill. Journey itself is adventurous with landscapes changing every few miles. Rivers gushing forward with roaring sound, sky touching lofty hills standing still and yet bringing smile to everyone's face, never ending green valleys, bumpy ride on hilly terrain, local delicacy at local dhabas, pony rides on curvy and steep hills, everything about this yatra is filled with fun.

Apart from seeking blessings of deities, enthusiasts can indulge themselves in lots of adventure activities like:

Trekking:

Char dham yatra also offers an opportunity for lots of adventure. Trekking can be carried out in and around Char dham. Trekking routes here are intermingled with diverse range of flora and fauna. Visiting Yamunotri and Kedarnath requires trekking. Apart from these, some of the popular treks are:-

• Hanuman Chatti to Dodital trek,
• Gangotri to Gaumukh trek,
• Gangotri to Pandu Gufa trek,
• Gangotri- Gaumukh- Nandanvan- Tapovan trek,
• Gangotri- Kedarnath trek,
• Har ki Dun trek,
• Valley of Flowers and Hemkund trek to Badrinath,
• Panch Kedarnath trek

Skiing:-

Auli is considered to be ski capital of India perched at a height of 2,500-3,050 mt and located very near to shrine of deity Badrinath. It has grounds which are so perfect for skiing that it attracts thousands of skiers from around the world. For skiers, chair lift and ski lift facilities are also available.

Rafting:-

Rafting is widely carried out in Char dham at various places. The most nearest accessible area around Char dham for indulging in rafting is Barkot. One can opt for a rafting from Barkot to Lakhamandal.

Paragliding:-

It is a sport which enables experience of flying in the sky mostly indulged by the people who are enthusiasts for recreation. In India too, it's becoming more and more popular. Bedini Bugyal which is located on Uttarkashi- Gangotri road is best place for paragliding enthusiasts to enjoy this sport on their trip to Char dham.

Char dham yatra is amazing as it provides a scope for fusion of soul with Supreme soul as well as provides an opportunity for fun and adventure. Exploring Char dham yatra by trekking, hiking and by camping in the lapse of Mother Nature helps tourists to enjoy nature at its best and awakens in them a spark of adventure.

Concern of Safety:-

Char dham yatra is pious but not an easy one. It is of religious importance and thus pilgrims from around the world wish to complete this tour at least once in their life time. Since all four dhams are located at hill tops amidst mighty Himalayas which are also surrounded by deep valleys and gushing rivers, concern of safety arises in everyone's mind before visiting there. Everyone wishes to have a comfortable and safe journey. At any point, idea of being safe cannot take a back seat. Every year Uttarakhand is visited by millions of tourists from India as well as from other parts of the world.

Question Over Safety:-

Flash floods of 2013 that occurred in the month of June in Uttarakhand is considered to be one of the worst. It resulted in thousands of casualties. Ragging torrents seemed to sweep everything before them. They washed away streets, mountain ranges and everything that came in front of them. Uttarakhand had witnessed a very horrifying incident. Whole of the state was affected and stunned including Chardham area, among which Kedarnath was most affected. It witnessed destruction of entire infrastructure except temple of main deity and a few buildings located over here and there. In Mandakini valley on midnight of June 16, first cloud burst did occur. It reported to cause damage to life and property. This was followed by heavy rains and landslides. Flood changed topography of major part of Uttarakhand. Though Kedarnath temple remained safe but was out of bounds. A lot of rescue operations were conducted along with providing relief programs. Thousands of people of Uttarakhand faced loss of property and livelihoods. Visitors from other parts of India lost their loved ones. Others who survived were stuck amidst disaster for hours together.

In spite of all the destruction that took place in 2013 and in spite of loss of several lives, few devotees braved their fear and did visit Char dham in 2014. Number of devotees has been seen to be decreasing due to sense of insecurity. This sense of insecurity will only be reduced or washed away by time, when they will see reforms and work progress of Government. People have developed fear and enormous anxiety over period of time. Fear psychosis will only decrease gradually when more and more number of tourists visiting these areas will spread word of reassurance. Many distant areas of Uttarakhand state are still to be reformed. Tourism sector is revived but work is very slow. Even after two years, villages over there have not been rehabilitated. Students still study in open. Facilities provided at base camp are not reassuring enough.

Reform Programs:-

Words of Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Mr. Harish Rawat seem promising regarding work of rebuilding of infrastructure and other reforms in the state. According to him, state has built a three-tier protection system that has efficiency of preventing floods of higher intensity than that occurred in 2013. They have arranged certain basic facilities for the pilgrims visiting here like five base camps, certain shelters to spend night, ghats, 48 way side amenities etc..... They have helipads at holy sites. Hotels mostly in circle of Char dham yatra are made tax free for one year so that they can provide stay and food at reasonable price for pilgrims. A special team of mountaineers and police are together set up for Kedarnath route. Private helicopter services have been promised to start on Kedarnath route. Biometric registrations are been set in many places on Char dham routes as well as at entry points of Uttarakhand.

For workers it was not a very easy task to clean and rebuild road after flash flood attack. Kedarnath Shrine went under total reconstruction. Before 2015 Char dham yatra commences, road from Gaurikund to Kedarnath will surely get completed. Newly built road will ensure comfort to people of all ages as the project is been looked after by efficient officers. Registration is made compulsory before visiting Char dham yatra for the pilgrims to ensure safety. Earlier roads were too steep causing difficulty in climbing but now these slopes are made gentle to ensure maximum comfort. Central Government had announced package of several millions to Uttarakhand which is spent wisely in carrying out reforms and tourists safety related measures.

It is duty of State Government to provide protection for visitors and tourists from all the aspects. Each and every visitor is kept safe and secure during their journey should be the main goal of State Government. Also tourists before leaving their home should gather all the information regarding geography of the area they are visiting, environment changes that may take place along with climate of the region and should always carry with them an emergency gear which will come in handy during times of emergency. Also, it is always seen that during time of any emergency or any mishap, a physically and mentally sound person can handle all the situations well whereas others just give up. Thus, visitors have to work on their physical fitness and stamina. Roads leading to Char dham yatra are a bit tricky with all the curves and surprises due to hilly terrain and thus vehicle ride seems dangerous. Two out of four Char dham that is Gangotri and Badrinath can be reached by vehicles whereas Yamunotri and Kedarnath will require some trekking. Rainy season makes area greener and pleasant but always brings with it difficulty in trekking and thus trekking trials get slippery posing danger to life. Thus to ensure maximum safety, it is always essential that tourists planning to visit Char dham plan it during peak season and avoid monsoons.

Safety of pilgrims should be the top priority of State Government. State should provide hassle-free, trouble free yatra. Floods raised question over safety of Char dham yatra. However, reforms have been done since then and certain reforms have to be done. Char dham continues to amuse and attract visitors from throughout the world and continues to be a travelers delight. However, Government this time is ensuring more safety and prompt rescue in times of emergency.

• Written by Reena.
• In category Travel, Tourism & Places.
• 9 years ago.

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