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Locations of the Char Dham

The Char Dham (Hindi: चारधाम, romanized: Cārdhām transl. the four abodes), also rendered the Chatur Dhama (Sanskrit: चतुर्धाम, romanized: Caturdhāma)^[1] is a set of four Hindu pilgrimage sites in India,^[2] consisting of Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram.^[3]^[4] Badrinath, Dwarka, and Puri are shrines of Vishnu, whereas Rameswaram is a shrine of Shiva.

Defined by Adi Shankara, each dhāma represents a particular yuga, with Badrinath representing Satya Yuga, Rameswaram representing Treta Yuga, Dwarka representing Dvapara Yuga, and Puri representing Kali Yuga.^[3]^[5] Many Hindus believe visiting these sites can help achieve moksha (liberation or salvation).^{[citation needed]}

The Char Dham is not to be confused with the Chota Char Dham, which is a devotional circuit in Uttarakhand of shrines dedicated to Shiva.

Description

According to Hindu legend, Badrinath became prominent when Nara-Narayana, an avatar of Vishnu, performed tapas there. As the area then had a profusion of berry trees, the site was initially named badarikāvaṇa, the forest of berries. Per legend, a large berry tree grew above Nara-Narayana to save him from the rain and the sun. A local interpretation holds that Lakshmi became the berry tree to save Narayana. After completing tapas, Narayana said declared that people should always invoke her name before his. Therefore, Hindus refer to "Lakshmi-Narayana."

Within the satya yuga, the area came to be known as badrināth, the lord of the berry trees, in recognizance of Nara-Narayana’s penance. The temple to him is located on the banks of the Alaknanda River in the Chamoli district of Uttrakhand.

The second dhāma, Rameswaram, has its origins in the Treta Yuga when Rama built a lingam there and worshipped it to get the blessings of Shiva. The name Rameswaram is translated to “God of Rama.”^{[dubious – discuss]} It is believed that Rama's footprints are imprinted there.^[6]

The third dhāma, Dwaraka, was established in the Dvapara Yuga when Krishna made the city his residence. ^[7]

At the fourth dhāma, Puri, Vishnu is worshipped as Jagannath, his avatar for the current epoch, Kali Yuga.

The monk Adi Shankara organised four maṭhas (institutions/monasteries) to correspond to the four sites of the Char Dham: the headquarters at Dwarka in the West, Puri in the East, Sringeri Sharada Peetham in the South and Badarikashrama in the North.^[8]

The table below gives an overview of the four Amnaya Maṭhas founded by Adi Shankara.^[9]

Shishya (lineage)	Direction	Maṭha	Mahāvākya	Veda	Sampradaya
Padmapāda	East	Govardhana Pīṭhaṃ	Prajñānam brahma (Consciousness is Brahman)	Rig Veda	Bhogavala
Sureśvara	South	Sringeri Śārada Pīṭhaṃ	Aham brahmāsmi (I am Brahman)	Yajur Veda	Bhūrivala
Hastāmalakācārya	West	Dvāraka Pīṭhaṃ	Tattvamasi (That thou art)	Sama Veda	Kitavala
Toṭakācārya	North	Jyotirmaṭha Pīṭhaṃ	Ayamātmā brahma (This self "soul" is Brahman)	Atharva Veda	Nandavala

The four sites of the Char Dham

The Char Dham Highway project (connecting Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri) is functional, and many service providers offer a Char Dham Yatra by helicopter.^[10]

Puri

Puri, located in the east, is located in the state of Odisha. Puri is one of the oldest cities in the eastern part of the country. It is situated on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. The main deity is Krishna, revered as Jagannath. It is the only shrine in India where Subhadra, the sister of Krishna, is worshipped along with her brothers, Jagannatha and Balabhadra. The main temple here is about 1000 years old and constructed by Raja Chola Ganga Deva and Raja Tritiya Ananga Bhima Deva.^{[citation needed]} Puri is the site of the Govarḍhana Maṭha, one of the four cardinal maṭhas created by Adi Shankara. Nilakantha Das suggested that Jagannath was a deity of Jain origin because of the appending of Nath to many Jain tirthankaras.^[11]

The word Jagannath means the “world personified' in a Jain context, derived from Jinanath. Evidence of the Jain terminology such as of Kaivalya, which means moksha or salvation, is found in the Jagannath tradition.^[12] Similarly, the twenty two steps leading to the temple, called the Baisi Pahacha, have been proposed as symbolic reverence for the first 22 of the 24 Tirthankaras of Jainism.^[13]

According to Annirudh Das, the original Jagannath deity was influenced by Jainism and is none other than the Jina of Kalinga taken to Magadha by Mahapadma Nanda.^[14] The theory of Jain origins is supported by the Jain Hathigumpha inscription. It mentions the worship of a relic memorial in Khandagiri-Udayagiri on Kumara Hill. This location is stated to be the same as the Jagannath temple site. However, Starza, a Jain text mentions Jains restored the Jagannath shrine, but the authenticity and date of this text are unclear.^[15] This is the plume for Oriya people to celebrate a special day in this Dham which is known as Ratha Yatra (Chariot Festival).^[16]^[17]

Rameswaram

Rameswaram is located in the state of Tamil Nadu, in the southern part of the Indian peninsula. According to legends, this is the place where Rama, along with his brother Lakshmana and devotee Hanuman, built a bridge (Rama Setu) to reach Lanka to rescue his wife Sita, who had been abducted earlier by Ravana, the ruler of Lanka. The Ramanathaswamy Temple, dedicated to Shiva, occupies a significant area of Rameswaram. The temple is believed to have been consecrated by Rama. Rameswaram is important for the Hindus as a pilgrimage to Benaras is incomplete without a pilgrimage to Rameswaram. The presiding deity here is in the form of a Linga with the name Sri Ramanatha Swamy; it also is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas.

Dwarka

Dwarka is located in the state of Gujarat, on the western coast of India. The city derives its name from the word "dvara" meaning door or gate in the Sanskrit language. It is located confluence where the Gomti River merges into the Arabian Sea. However, this river Gomti is not the same Gomti River, which is a tributary of Ganga River. The city lies in the westernmost part of India. The legendary city of Dvārakā was the dwelling place of Krishna. It is generally believed^[who?] that due to damage and destruction by the sea, Dvārakā had submerged six times, and modern-day Dwarka is the 7th such city to be built in the area.^[18]^[19]^{[citation needed]}

Badrinath

Badrinath, situated in the north, is located in the state of Uttarakhand. It is in the Garhwal hills, on the Alaknanda River banks. The town lies between the Nar and Narayana mountain ranges and in the shadow of Nilkantha peak (6,560 m). There are other interesting sightseeing spots like Mana, Vyas Gufa, Maatamoorti, Charanpaduka, Bhimkund, and the Mukh of the Saraswati River, within 3 km of Badrinathjee. Joshimath is situated on the slopes above the confluence of the Alaknanda and Dhauliganga rivers. Of the four Maths established by Adi Shankaracharya, Joshimath is the winter seat of Chardham.

While the three other Dhams remain open throughout the year, Badrinath Dham only stays open for pilgrims' darshan from April to October each year.

Chota Char Dham

Another circuit of four ancient pilgrimage sites in the Indian state of Uttarakhand viz. Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath is referred to as Chota Char Dham to differentiate it from this bigger circuit of Char Dham sites. The Chota Char Dham shrines are closed in winter due to snowfall and reopen for pilgrims with the advent of summer.^[20]^[21]^[22]^[23]

References

^ Bharati, Agrhananda (3 June 2011). Agents and Audiences. Walter de Gruyter. p. 53. ISBN 978-3-11-080584-0.
^ "Chaar Dham Yatra: A True Test of Every Hindu's Quest Towards Spiritual Enlightenment". NewsGram. 20 March 2015. Archived from the original on 23 January 2022.
^ ^a ^b Dass, Parmeshwar (21 February 2022). "History of Chardham - The Amazing Story of Chota Char Dham". Namaste India Trip. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
^ Chakraborty, Yogabrata (28 June 2023). "পুরীধাম ও জগন্নাথদেবের ব্রহ্মরূপ বৃত্তান্ত" [Puridham and the tale of lord Jagannath's legendary 'Brahmarup']. dainikstatesmannews.com (in Bengali). Kolkata: Dainik Statesman (The Statesman Group). p. 4. Archived from the original on 28 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^ ADMIN (5 February 2023). "Char Dham Yatra : Journey To Spiritual Liberation". TEMPLE KNOWLEDGE. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
^ Seeger, Elizabeth, 1889-1973. (1969). The Ramayana. New York :W.R. Scott
^ Chakravarti Mahadev-1994-The Concept of Rudra-Śiva Through The Ages-Delhi-Motilal Banarsidass-Second Revised. ISBN 81-208-0053-2
^ "Sankara Acarya: 4 - Monastic Traditions". Archived from the original on 8 May 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2009.
^ The Amnaya Peethams | Sringeri Sharada Peetham Archived 26 June 2006 at the Wayback Machine
^ "Why schools in Kedarnath are going soundproof - Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
^ Mohanty, Jagannath (2009). Indian Culture and Education. Deep& Deep. p. 5. ISBN 978-81-8450-150-6.
^ Barik, P M (July 2005). "Jainism and Buddhism in Jagannath culture" (PDF). Orissa Review: 36. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
^ Avinash Patra (2011). Origin & Antiquity of the Cult of Lord Jagannath. Oxford University Press. pp. 8–10, 17–18.
^ Das, Aniruddha. Jagannath and Nepal. pp. 9–10.
^ O. M. Starza (1993). The Jagannatha Temple at Puri: Its Architecture, Art, and Cult. BRILL Academic. pp. 62–63 with footnotes. ISBN 90-04-09673-6.
^ Char Dham Yatra, by G. R. Venkatraman. Published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1988.
^ Brockman, Norbert C. (2011), Encyclopedia of Sacred Places, California: ABC-CLIO, LLC, ISBN 978-1-59884-655-3
^ Santosh, Urmila (22 November 2016). "Where Mythology Meets Reality: Sunken City Of Dwarka". gounesco.com. GoUNESCO. Archived from the original on 1 July 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
^ Shankar, Kalyani (15 March 2007). "Legends by the sea". The Economic Times. Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. Archived from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
^ Char Dham of Garhwal Archived 5 April 2023 at the Wayback Machine India, by Joe Windless, Sarina Singh, James Bainbridge, Lindsay Brown, Mark Elliott, Stuart Butler. Published by Lonely Planet, 2007. ISBN 1-74104-308-5. Page 468.
^ Chardham Yatra, by Savitri Dubey. Published by Alekh Prakashan. ISBN 978-81-88913-25-1
^ "Welcome To Alekh Prakashan". Archived from the original on 23 December 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
^ "Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib Yatra to restart from May 2014". IANS. news.biharprabha.com. 24 April 2014. Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2014.

External links

Official website
Media related to Char Dham at Wikimedia Commons

[1] Bharati, Agrhananda (3 June 2011). Agents and Audiences. Walter de Gruyter. p. 53. ISBN 978-3-11-080584-0.

[2] "Chaar Dham Yatra: A True Test of Every Hindu's Quest Towards Spiritual Enlightenment". NewsGram. 20 March 2015. Archived from the original on 23 January 2022.

[:0-3] Dass, Parmeshwar (21 February 2022). "History of Chardham - The Amazing Story of Chota Char Dham". Namaste India Trip. Retrieved 9 November 2023.

[4] Chakraborty, Yogabrata (28 June 2023). "পুরীধাম ও জগন্নাথদেবের ব্রহ্মরূপ বৃত্তান্ত" [Puridham and the tale of lord Jagannath's legendary 'Brahmarup']. dainikstatesmannews.com (in Bengali). Kolkata: Dainik Statesman (The Statesman Group). p. 4. Archived from the original on 28 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

[5] ADMIN (5 February 2023). "Char Dham Yatra : Journey To Spiritual Liberation". TEMPLE KNOWLEDGE. Retrieved 9 November 2023.

[6] Seeger, Elizabeth, 1889-1973. (1969). The Ramayana. New York :W.R. Scott

[7] Chakravarti Mahadev-1994-The Concept of Rudra-Śiva Through The Ages-Delhi-Motilal Banarsidass-Second Revised. ISBN 81-208-0053-2

[8] "Sankara Acarya: 4 - Monastic Traditions". Archived from the original on 8 May 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2009.

[9] The Amnaya Peethams | Sringeri Sharada Peetham Archived 26 June 2006 at the Wayback Machine

[10] "Why schools in Kedarnath are going soundproof - Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 4 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.

[11] Mohanty, Jagannath (2009). Indian Culture and Education. Deep& Deep. p. 5. ISBN 978-81-8450-150-6.

[Barik_2005_36-12] Barik, P M (July 2005). "Jainism and Buddhism in Jagannath culture" (PDF). Orissa Review: 36. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2012.

[Patra2011p17-13] Avinash Patra (2011). Origin & Antiquity of the Cult of Lord Jagannath. Oxford University Press. pp. 8–10, 17–18.

[14] Das, Aniruddha. Jagannath and Nepal. pp. 9–10.

[Starza1993p61-15] O. M. Starza (1993). The Jagannatha Temple at Puri: Its Architecture, Art, and Cult. BRILL Academic. pp. 62–63 with footnotes. ISBN 90-04-09673-6.

[16] Char Dham Yatra, by G. R. Venkatraman. Published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1988.

[17] Brockman, Norbert C. (2011), Encyclopedia of Sacred Places, California: ABC-CLIO, LLC, ISBN 978-1-59884-655-3

[GoUnesco-18] Santosh, Urmila (22 November 2016). "Where Mythology Meets Reality: Sunken City Of Dwarka". gounesco.com. GoUNESCO. Archived from the original on 1 July 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.

[EconomicTimesLeg-19] Shankar, Kalyani (15 March 2007). "Legends by the sea". The Economic Times. Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. Archived from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.

[20] Char Dham of Garhwal Archived 5 April 2023 at the Wayback Machine India, by Joe Windless, Sarina Singh, James Bainbridge, Lindsay Brown, Mark Elliott, Stuart Butler. Published by Lonely Planet, 2007. ISBN 1-74104-308-5. Page 468.

[21] Chardham Yatra, by Savitri Dubey. Published by Alekh Prakashan. ISBN 978-81-88913-25-1

[22] "Welcome To Alekh Prakashan". Archived from the original on 23 December 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2019.

[23] "Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib Yatra to restart from May 2014". IANS. news.biharprabha.com. 24 April 2014. Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2014.

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@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 {{Location map~ |India |lat= 30.744729|long=79.4907558 |mark=Font Awesome 5 solid vihara.svg|label= [[Badrinath]]|position=top}}
 }}
 The '''Char Dham''' ({{Lang-hi|चारधाम|translit=Cārdhām}} {{translation|the four abodes}}), also rendered the '''Chatur Dhama''' ({{Lang-sa|चतुर्धाम|translit=Caturdhāma}})<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bharati |first=Agrhananda |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-Rhy_9p9BZQC&pg=PA53 |title=Agents and Audiences |date=2011-06-03 |publisher=Walter de Gruyter |isbn=978-3-11-080584-0 |pages=53 |language=en}}</ref> is a set of four [[Hindu]] pilgrimage sites in [[India]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Chaar Dham Yatra: A True Test of Every Hindu's Quest Towards Spiritual Enlightenment |date=20 March 2015 |website=NewsGram |url= https://www.newsgram.com/chaar-dham-yatra-true-test-hindus-spiritual-enlightenment/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220123103404/https://www.newsgram.com/chaar-dham-yatra-true-test-hindus-spiritual-enlightenment |archive-date= 23 January 2022}}</ref> consisting of [[Badrinath]], [[Dwarka]], [[Puri]] and [[Rameswaram]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Dass |first=Parmeshwar |date=2022-02-21 |title=History of Chardham - The Amazing Story of Chota Char Dham |url=https://www.namasteindiatrip.com/history-of-chardham.html |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=Namaste India Trip |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://epaper.thestatesman.com/m5/3725372/Dainik-Statesman/28TH-JUNE-2023|title=পুরীধাম ও জগন্নাথদেবের ব্রহ্মরূপ বৃত্তান্ত|page=4|trans-title=Puridham and the tale of lord Jagannath's legendary 'Brahmarup'|language=bn|date=28 June 2023|access-date=28 June 2023|website=dainikstatesmannews.com|publisher=Dainik Statesman (The Statesman Group)|location=Kolkata|first=Yogabrata|last=Chakraborty|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230628053933/https://epaper.thestatesman.com/m5/3725372/Dainik-Statesman/28TH-JUNE-2023#page/1/1|archive-date=28 June 2023|url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref> Badrinath, Dwarka, and Puri are shrines of [[Vishnu]], whereas Rameswaram is a shrine of [[Shiva]].
 Defined by [[Adi Shankara]], each ''dhāma'' represents a particular [[yuga]], with Badrinath representing [[Satya Yuga]], Rameswaram representing [[Treta Yuga]], Dwarka representing [[Dvapara Yuga]], and Puri representing [[Kali Yuga]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=ADMIN |date=2023-02-05 |title=Char Dham Yatra : Journey To Spiritual Liberation |url=https://templeknowledge.com/char-dham-yatra-journey-to-spiritual-liberation/ |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=TEMPLE KNOWLEDGE |language=en-US}}</ref> Many Hindus believe visiting these sites can help achieve [[moksha]] (liberation or salvation).{{cn|date=March 2024}}
+The Char Dham is not to be confused with the [[Chota Char Dham]], which is a devotional circuit in [[Uttarakhand]] of shrines dedicated to Shiva.
 ==Description==
 {{more citations needed section|date=August 2020}}
-According to Hindu legend, Badrinath became prominent when Nara-Narayana, an avatar of [[Vishnu]], did [[Tapasya]] there. At that time that place was filled with berry trees. In the Sanskrit language, berries are called "badari", so the place was named Badarika-Vana, that is, the forest of berries. In the particular spot where the Nara-Narayana did Tapasya, a large berry tree formed covering him to save him from the rain and the sun. Local people believe that Lakshmi became the berry tree to save Narayana. Post-Tapasya, Narayana said, people will always take her name before his name. Hence Hindus refer to "Lakshmi-Narayana." It was, therefore, called Badri-Nath, that is, the Lord of Berry Forest. This all happened in the [[Satya Yuga]]. So Badrinath came to be known as the first Dhama. The temple is located on the banks of the Alaknanda River in the [[Chamoli district]] of Uttrakhand.
+According to Hindu legend, Badrinath became prominent when [[Nara-Narayana]], an avatar of Vishnu, performed ''[[Tapas (Indian religions)#Hinduism|tapas]]'' there. As the area then had a profusion of berry trees, the site was initially named ''badarikāvaṇa'', the forest of berries. Per legend, a large berry tree grew above Nara-Narayana to save him from the rain and the sun. A local interpretation holds that Lakshmi became the berry tree to save Narayana. After completing ''tapas'', Narayana said declared that people should always invoke her name before his. Therefore, Hindus refer to "[[Lakshmi Narayana|Lakshmi-Narayana]]."
+Within the ''satya yuga'', the area came to be known as ''badrināth'', the lord of the berry trees, in recognizance of Nara-Narayana’s penance. The temple to him is located on the banks of the [[Alaknanda River]] in the [[Chamoli district]] of Uttrakhand.
-The second place, Rameswaram, got its importance in the [[Treta Yuga]] when [[Rama]] built a Shiva-Lingam here and worshipped it to get the blessings of Shiva. The name Rameswaram means "God of Rama". It is believed that Rama's footprints are imprinted there.<ref>Seeger, Elizabeth, 1889-1973. (1969). The Ramayana. New York :W.R. Scott</ref>
+The second ''dhāma'', Rameswaram, has its origins in the [[Treta Yuga]] when [[Rama]] built a ''[[lingam]]'' there and worshipped it to get the blessings of Shiva. The name Rameswaram is translated to “God of Rama.”{{Dubious|date=March 2024}} It is believed that Rama's footprints are imprinted there.<ref>Seeger, Elizabeth, 1889-1973. (1969). The Ramayana. New York :W.R. Scott</ref>
-The third, Dwaraka, got its importance in the [[Dvapara Yuga]] when Krishna made Dwaraka his residence instead of Mathura, his birthplace.<ref>Chakravarti Mahadev-1994-The Concept of Rudra-Śiva Through The Ages-Delhi-Motilal Banarsidass-Second Revised. {{ISBN|81-208-0053-2}}</ref>
+The third ''dhāma'', Dwaraka, was established in the [[Dvapara Yuga]] when Krishna made the city his residence. <ref>Chakravarti Mahadev-1994-The Concept of Rudra-Śiva Through The Ages-Delhi-Motilal Banarsidass-Second Revised. {{ISBN|81-208-0053-2}}</ref>
-At the fourth, Puri, Vishnu is worshipped as [[Jagannatha|Jagannath]], his [[avatar]] for the current epoch, i.e. [[Kali Yuga]].
+At the fourth ''dhāma'', Puri, Vishnu is worshipped as [[Jagannatha|Jagannath]], his [[avatar]] for the current epoch, [[Kali Yuga]].
-The four Shankaracharya Peetha (Seats) at the Char Dham school of Hinduism, created at least four Hindu monastic institutions. He organised the Hindu practitioners under four {{IAST|[[Matha|Maṭhas]]}} (Sanskrit: {{lang|sa|मठ}}) (institutions/monasteries), with the headquarters at [[Dvārakā]] in the West, [[Jagannatha Puri]] in the East, [[Sringeri Sharada Peetham]] in the South and [[Badrikashrama|Badarikashrama]] in the North.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sanskrit.org/www/Shankara/shankar4.html |title=Sankara Acarya: 4 - Monastic Traditions |access-date=3 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508091224/http://www.sanskrit.org/www/Shankara/shankar4.html |archive-date=8 May 2012 }}</ref>
+The monk [[Adi Shankara]] organised four {{IAST|[[Matha|maṭhas]]}} (institutions/monasteries) to correspond to the four sites of the Char Dham: the headquarters at [[Dvārakā|Dwarka]] in the West, [[Jagannatha Puri|Puri]] in the East, [[Sringeri Sharada Peetham]] in the South and [[Badrikashrama|Badarikashrama]] in the North.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sanskrit.org/www/Shankara/shankar4.html |title=Sankara Acarya: 4 - Monastic Traditions |access-date=3 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508091224/http://www.sanskrit.org/www/Shankara/shankar4.html |archive-date=8 May 2012 }}</ref>
-The table below gives an overview of the four ''Amnaya Mathas'' founded by [[Adi Shankara]], and their details.<ref>[http://www.sringerisharadapeetham.org/html/History/amnaya.html The Amnaya Peethams | Sringeri Sharada Peetham<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060626000000/http://www.sringerisharadapeetham.org/html/History/amnaya.html |date=26 June 2006 }}</ref>
+The table below gives an overview of the four ''Amnaya Maṭhas'' founded by [[Adi Shankara]].<ref>[http://www.sringerisharadapeetham.org/html/History/amnaya.html The Amnaya Peethams | Sringeri Sharada Peetham<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060626000000/http://www.sringerisharadapeetham.org/html/History/amnaya.html |date=26 June 2006 }}</ref>
 {| class="wikitable"
@@ Line 68: / Line 72: @@
 |}
-==The four associated places of the Char Dham==
+==The four sites of the Char Dham==
-The [[Char Dham Highway]] project (Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri) is functional, and many service providers offer a Char Dham Yatra by helicopter to ease pilgrims.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://m.timesofindia.com/city/dehradun/why-schools-in-kedarnath-are-going-soundproof/articleshow/66211084.cms|title=Why schools in Kedarnath are going soundproof - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=3 November 2018|archive-date=4 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104182216/https://m.timesofindia.com/city/dehradun/why-schools-in-kedarnath-are-going-soundproof/articleshow/66211084.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>
+The [[Char Dham Highway]] project (connecting Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri) is functional, and many service providers offer a Char Dham Yatra by helicopter.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://m.timesofindia.com/city/dehradun/why-schools-in-kedarnath-are-going-soundproof/articleshow/66211084.cms|title=Why schools in Kedarnath are going soundproof - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=3 November 2018|archive-date=4 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104182216/https://m.timesofindia.com/city/dehradun/why-schools-in-kedarnath-are-going-soundproof/articleshow/66211084.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>
 === Puri ===
 [[File:Temple-Jagannath.jpg|thumb|[[Jagannath Temple, Puri|Jagannath Temple]], [[Puri]]]]
-[[Puri]], located in the east, is located in the state of [[Odisha]], India. Puri is one of the oldest cities in the eastern part of the country. It is situated on the [[Bay of Bengal]] coast. The main deity is Krishna, revered as [[Jagannath]]. It is the only shrine in India where goddess [[Subhadra]], sister of Krishna, is worshipped along with her brothers, Jagannatha and [[Balarama|Balabhadra]]. The main temple here is about 1000 years old and constructed by Raja Chola Ganga Deva and Raja Tritiya Ananga Bhima Deva. Puri is the site of the Govardhana Matha, one of the four cardinal institutions or Mathas converted by [[Adi Shankaracharya|Adi Shankara]]. Pandit Nilakantha Das suggested that Jagannath was a deity of [[Jain]] origin because of the appending of ''Nath'' to many Jain [[Tirthankar|tirthankara]]s.<ref>{{cite book|last=Mohanty|first=Jagannath|title=Indian Culture and Education|year=2009|publisher=Deep& Deep|isbn=978-81-8450-150-6|page=5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3T2Ph_SmjtoC&q=nilakantha+das+jagannath&pg=PA5}}</ref>
+[[Puri]], located in the east, is located in the state of [[Odisha]]. Puri is one of the oldest cities in the eastern part of the country. It is situated on the coast of the [[Bay of Bengal]]. The main deity is Krishna, revered as [[Jagannath]]. It is the only shrine in India where [[Subhadra]], the sister of Krishna, is worshipped along with her brothers, Jagannatha and [[Balarama|Balabhadra]]. The main temple here is about 1000 years old and constructed by Raja Chola Ganga Deva and Raja Tritiya Ananga Bhima Deva.{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}} Puri is the site of the ''Govarḍhana Maṭha'', one of the four cardinal ''maṭhas'' created by [[Adi Shankaracharya|Adi Shankara]]. Nilakantha Das suggested that Jagannath was a deity of [[Jain]] origin because of the appending of ''Nath'' to many Jain [[Tirthankar|tirthankara]]s.<ref>{{cite book|last=Mohanty|first=Jagannath|title=Indian Culture and Education|year=2009|publisher=Deep& Deep|isbn=978-81-8450-150-6|page=5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3T2Ph_SmjtoC&q=nilakantha+das+jagannath&pg=PA5}}</ref>
-Jagannath meant the 'World personified' in the Jain context and was derived from ''Jinanath''. Evidence of the Jain terminology such as of [[Kaivalya]], which means [[moksha]] or salvation, is found in the Jagannath tradition.<ref name="Barik 2005 36">{{cite journal|last=Barik|first=P M|title=Jainism and Buddhism in Jagannath culture|journal=Orissa Review|date=July 2005|pages=36|url=http://orissa.gov.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/jul2005/engpdf/jainism_budhism_in_joga-culture.pdf|access-date=29 November 2012|archive-date=4 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304064057/http://www.orissa.gov.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/jul2005/engpdf/jainism_budhism_in_joga-culture.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Similarly, the twenty two steps leading to the temple, called the ''Baisi Pahacha'', have been proposed as symbolic reverence for the first 22 of the 24 Tirthankaras of [[Jainism]].<ref name="Patra2011p17">{{cite book|author=Avinash Patra|title=Origin & Antiquity of the Cult of Lord Jagannath|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RlwTCwAAQBAJ|year=2011|publisher=Oxford University Press|pages=8–10, 17–18}}</ref>
+The word ''Jagannath'' means the “world personified' in a Jain context, derived from ''Jinanath''. Evidence of the Jain terminology such as of [[Kaivalya]], which means [[moksha]] or salvation, is found in the Jagannath tradition.<ref name="Barik 2005 36">{{cite journal|last=Barik|first=P M|title=Jainism and Buddhism in Jagannath culture|journal=Orissa Review|date=July 2005|pages=36|url=http://orissa.gov.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/jul2005/engpdf/jainism_budhism_in_joga-culture.pdf|access-date=29 November 2012|archive-date=4 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304064057/http://www.orissa.gov.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/jul2005/engpdf/jainism_budhism_in_joga-culture.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Similarly, the twenty two steps leading to the temple, called the ''Baisi Pahacha'', have been proposed as symbolic reverence for the first 22 of the 24 Tirthankaras of [[Jainism]].<ref name="Patra2011p17">{{cite book|author=Avinash Patra|title=Origin & Antiquity of the Cult of Lord Jagannath|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RlwTCwAAQBAJ|year=2011|publisher=Oxford University Press|pages=8–10, 17–18}}</ref>
 According to Annirudh Das, the original Jagannath deity was influenced by Jainism and is none other than the ''Jina'' of Kalinga taken to [[Magadha]] by [[Mahapadma Nanda]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Das|first=Aniruddha|title=Jagannath and Nepal|pages=9–10}}</ref> The theory of Jain origins is supported by the Jain [[Hathigumpha inscription]]. It mentions the worship of a relic memorial in Khandagiri-Udayagiri on Kumara Hill. This location is stated to be the same as the Jagannath temple site. However, Starza, a Jain text mentions Jains restored the Jagannath shrine, but the authenticity and date of this text are unclear.<ref name="Starza1993p61">{{cite book|author=O. M. Starza|title=The Jagannatha Temple at Puri: Its Architecture, Art, and Cult|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v4bV3beb0n8C |year=1993|publisher=BRILL Academic|isbn=90-04-09673-6|pages=62–63 with footnotes}}</ref> This is the plume for Oriya people to celebrate a special day in this Dham which is known as [[Ratha Yatra]] (Chariot Festival).<ref>''Char Dham Yatra'', by G. R. Venkatraman. Published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1988.</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Brockman |first=Norbert C. |title= Encyclopedia of Sacred Places |year=2011|publisher=ABC-CLIO, LLC |location=California |isbn=978-1-59884-655-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZNZ15Oow8XcC&q=char+dham&pg=PA94}}</ref>

Revision as of 18:35, 12 March 2024

Description

The four sites of the Char Dham

Puri

Rameswaram

Dwarka

Badrinath

Chota Char Dham

See also

References

External links