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Char Dham List: 4 Dhams, Chota Char Dham & 2026 Dates

The Char Dham explained — the original four dhams of Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram, and Uttarakhand's Chota Char Dham, with places, order and 2026 dates.

Sanskrit Kala15 September 20264 min read
Cultureजय बद्री विशालJai Badri Vishal❀ Sanskrit Kala
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Char Dham means "four abodes" — but the phrase is used for two different pilgrimages, and they are easy to confuse. One spans the four corners of India. The other is a circuit of four Himalayan shrines in Uttarakhand. Only one temple, Badrinath, belongs to both.

The two meanings at a glance

Char Dham (the original four): Badrinath · Dwarka · Puri · Rameswaram — north, west, east and south.
Chota Char Dham (Uttarakhand): Yamunotri · Gangotri · Kedarnath · Badrinath — the yatra most people mean today.

The original Char Dham — the four corners of India

These four dhams are traditionally associated with Adi Shankaracharya (8th century), who is credited with defining them as the four great pilgrimage seats of India. Together they mark the four directions of the country.

#DhamMain deityPlaceStateDirection
1BadrinathVishnu (Badrinarayan)Badrinath, Chamoli districtUttarakhandNorth
2DwarkaKrishna (Dwarkadhish)DwarkaGujaratWest
3PuriJagannathPuriOdishaEast
4RameswaramShiva (Ramanathaswamy)RameswaramTamil NaduSouth

Three of the four are shrines of Vishnu; Rameswaram is a shrine of Shiva — and it is also one of the 12 Jyotirlingas.

Tradition also links each dham to one of the four yugas: Badrinath to Satya Yuga, Rameswaram to Treta Yuga, Dwarka to Dvapara Yuga and Puri to Kali Yuga.

The four dhams and the four maths are not the same list

Adi Shankaracharya is also credited with founding four monasteries (maths). Three sit beside a dham — Jyotirmath near Badrinath, Sharada Peetham at Dwarka and Govardhan Peetham at Puri — but the southern math is Sringeri Sharada Peetham in Karnataka, not Rameswaram.

Chota Char Dham — the Uttarakhand yatra

When people plan a "Char Dham Yatra" today, this is almost always the circuit they mean: four shrines high in the Garhwal Himalaya, each open only from spring to early winter.

#ShrineDeityDistrictAltitude (approx.)Winter seat
1YamunotriGoddess YamunaUttarkashi~3,290 mKharsali
2GangotriGoddess GangaUttarkashi~3,100 mMukhba, near Harsil
3KedarnathShivaRudraprayag~3,580 mOmkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath
4BadrinathVishnuChamoli~3,100 mPandukeshwar and Jyotirmath (Joshimath)

Published altitudes differ between sources, particularly for Badrinath and Gangotri; the figures above are rounded.

The traditional order runs west to east: Yamunotri → Gangotri → Kedarnath → Badrinath. When the temples close for winter, the deity is worshipped at the winter seat listed above, and pilgrims can have darshan there.

Why Kedarnath is special

Kedarnath is the highest shrine on the circuit and one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. The final stretch to the temple is an uphill trek of about 16 km from Gaurikund (the route was rebuilt and lengthened after the 2013 floods), usually taking 6–8 hours — so plan for time and altitude.

2026 opening and closing dates

The Uttarakhand shrines open around Akshaya Tritiya in spring and close around Diwali in autumn.

ShrineOpened in 2026Expected closingClosing occasion
Yamunotri19 April11 NovemberBhai Dooj
Gangotri19 April10 NovemberDay after Diwali (Annakut)
Kedarnath22 April11 NovemberBhai Dooj
Badrinath23 AprilAnnounced on Vijayadashami, 20 OctoberUsually mid-November

Closing dates are tentative

Temple committees confirm closing dates close to the time, and weather can change plans. Check the official announcement before you book travel for late October or November.

Before you travel

  • Registration is mandatory. Every pilgrim must register with the Uttarakhand government — online at registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in or at registration counters. Check the portal for current document rules, especially if you are travelling from outside India.
  • Respect the altitude. All four shrines are above 3,000 m. Spend a night at a lower altitude on the way up, and speak to a doctor first if you have heart or breathing conditions.
  • Leave room in your plan. Landslides and weather close roads in the monsoon (July–August). May–June and September–October are the most reliable months.

Related reading

Four dhams at the edges of a country, four shrines at the edge of the sky — both journeys ask the same thing of a pilgrim: to leave the familiar behind for a while. Jai Badri Vishal.

Frequently asked questions

What are the Char Dham?

The original Char Dham are Badrinath in the north, Dwarka in the west, Puri in the east and Rameswaram in the south — four dhams traditionally associated with Adi Shankaracharya. In everyday use, Char Dham Yatra usually means Uttarakhand's Chota Char Dham: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.

What is the difference between Char Dham and Chota Char Dham?

The Char Dham span all four corners of India. The Chota (small) Char Dham is a circuit of four Himalayan shrines in Uttarakhand. Badrinath is the only shrine that belongs to both.

What is the correct order of the Chota Char Dham Yatra?

Traditionally the yatra goes from west to east: Yamunotri first, then Gangotri, Kedarnath, and finally Badrinath.

When do the Char Dham temples close in 2026?

The Uttarakhand shrines close for winter around Diwali. In 2026 Gangotri is expected to close on 10 November, Yamunotri and Kedarnath on Bhai Dooj, 11 November. Badrinath's closing date is announced on Vijayadashami, 20 October 2026. Treat all closing dates as tentative until officially announced.

Is registration mandatory for the Char Dham Yatra?

Yes. Every pilgrim to the Uttarakhand Char Dham must register with the Uttarakhand government before travelling, online or at registration counters. Check the official portal for the current document requirements, especially if you are travelling from outside India.

Is Kedarnath one of the Char Dham?

Kedarnath is part of the Chota Char Dham in Uttarakhand, and it is also one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. It is not one of the original four dhams, which are Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram.

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