A parikrama refers to clockwise
circumambulation of a pilgrimage destination. As per the Hindu
traditions, the chardham destinations (
Yamunotri,
Gangotri,
Kedarnath
and
Badrinath) are to be circumambulated
clockwise, known as
chardham parikrama. Devotees and pilgrims
are required to complete their pilgrimage to
chardham starting
from left and ending towards the right. So, if one is performing a
parikrama, they have to begin their chardham yatra from Yamunotri, which
is the westernmost shrine in the circuit. The
pilgrimage shrine
of
Yamunotri is located at an altitude of
3,165 m above sea level and is dedicated to Hindu goddess Yamuna.
The next destination as per the
chardham parikrama is
the shrine of
Gangotri, at a height of
3,042 m above sea level and dedicated to goddess Ganga. The shrine
occupies a place on the right banks of river Bhagirathi. The
chardham
parikrama takes you further to
Kedarnath,
located at an elevation of 3,581 m above sea level.
The final destination of the
chardham parikrama is
the sacred shrine of
Badrinath. Located at
a height of 3,133 m above sea level on the right banks of the river
Alaknanda,
Badrinath is the most
significant among the all four
chardham destinations in Uttarakhand.
The
Badrinath temple in Garhwal stands in
dedication to Lord Vishnu. The temple at
Badrinath
has been divided into Garbha Griha (the inner sanctum), Darshan Mandap
(the site to perform rituals) and Sabha Mandap (where devotees and
pilgrims congregate).
