TL;DR: Badrinath (Vishnu, north), Dwarka (Krishna, west), Rameshwaram (Shiva, south) and Jagannath Puri (Krishna, east) each carry a distinct deity, legend and architectural marvel.
The Bada Char Dham rewards travellers who know what makes each abode unique. Here is a quick tour of all four.

North and West

Badrinath sits at 3,133 metres on the Alaknanda in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, under the Nilkantha peak. Its sanctum holds a black granite idol of Vishnu in a rare meditative (Padmasana) pose, and the Tapt Kund hot spring nearby stays around 55 degrees Celsius year-round. Because of Himalayan snow, it opens for only about six months, with dates fixed on Basant Panchami and Vijayadashami.
Dwarka, on the Gujarat coast where the Gomti meets the Arabian Sea, honours Krishna. The Dwarkadhish Temple (Jagat Mandir) is a five-storey structure on 72 carved pillars, its 78-metre spire flying a flag changed five times a day. Marine archaeology near here has found submerged remains believed to be Krishna's legendary city.

South and East

Rameshwaram, in Tamil Nadu, is both a Char Dham site and one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, where Rama is said to have installed a Shiva Linga to atone for slaying Ravana. Its third corridor, roughly 1,212 metres, is considered the longest temple corridor in the world.
Jagannath Puri in Odisha honours Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra. It is famed for its reverse fluttering flag, a dome said to cast no shadow, the world's largest temple kitchen and the annual Rath Yatra.

FAQ

• Which temple is a Jyotirlinga? Rameshwaram is both a Char Dham and a Jyotirlinga.
• Why does Badrinath close in winter? Heavy Himalayan snowfall; the ceremonial idol moves to Joshimath.
• What deity is at Dwarka? Lord Krishna, as Dwarkadhish.

Prepared by the team at Saffron Chariot, Haridwar - Char Dham helicopter specialists.