Chaar
Dhaam & chaar yuga
There are 4
most important places in Sanatan dharma (= religion of truth; The Hindu
religion is rooted from Satya Sanatan religion which is the root of all
religions), to where each Hindu (who has Hindu religion) is supposed to make
pilgrimage at least once in life. These 4 places are called chaar Dhaam
(chaar = 4, Dhaam = abode or place). These are:
1. Badrinaath (Tehri-Garhwal district of the mighty Himalayas, North India)
2. Rameshwaram (South India)
3. Dwarika (West India), and
4. Jagannaath Dhaam Puri (Orissa, East India)
The ancient
Epics also relate the history of the chaar Dhaam with the widely accepted
Four Yugas (Yuga = era). The chaar yuga s are:
Satya yuga, TretaYuga yuga, Dwaapara yuga, and Kali yuga. According to the
epics, the relation of yuga with dhaama are as follows:
Badrinaath » Satya yuga,
Rameshwaram » TretaYuga yuga,
Dwarika » Dwaapara yuga, and
Jagannaath » Kali yuga.
The present age is approaching the end of Kali yuga. It is widely
believed in the Hindu mythology that towards the end of Kali yuga, Lord Vishnu
(Lord Jagannaath is a form of Lord Vishnu) will appear as Kalki Avataar to save
the saints (good) and destroy the sinners (evil). This will happen at a time
when the Sin will be at it's peak, i.e. at the worst time of this Kali
yuga. As he will come to destroy the Kalanka (= blemishes of and on the
humanity), he is called Kalki avataar.