Uttarakhand: Brazilian woman completes winter Char Dham yatra barefoot; wears traditional dhoti, learn rituals

Dehradun: A unique story of faith and devotion has emerged from Uttarakhand’s Char Dham winter shrines. Fernanda, a 35-year-old lawyer from Brazil, arrived in the Himalayan state seeking peace of mind and spiritual strength.

Deeply influenced by local folk traditions, she set out on a barefoot winter journey to the four holy shrines, abandoning foreign clothing and adopting Uttarakhand’s traditional attire.

Inspired by traditions

Fernanda belongs to the Christian community and is the mother of a 10-year-old daughter. Facing personal difficulties, she had heard about Uttarakhand’s spiritual atmosphere and decided to travel to India. Reaching Haridwar, she learned that the Char Dham temples remain closed in winter, but discovered the winter worship sites where rituals continue.

Journey to Winter Shrines

On December 5, Fernanda began her pilgrimage. She first reached Kharsari village, the winter shrine of Yamunotri, where she offered prayers. From there, she traveled to Makhuba village, the winter shrine of Gangotri. Then, she reached Ukhimath, the winter shrine of Kedarnath, and later visited the Nrisimha Temple of Jyotirmath and the Yogadhyan Badri Temple of Pandukeshwar.

She said she was deeply impressed by the style of temple construction and the spiritual teachings she received. At Ukhimath, she learned that the shrine emphasizes resolving domestic disputes, which she found meaningful given her own family struggles.

Devotion in traditional attire

Fernanda performed rituals barefoot, wearing a dhoti and sari, with a pallu covering her head. She offered prostrations in temples, applied tilak on her forehead, and touched the feet of priests to seek blessings. Her devotion was admired by locals and fellow pilgrims.

However, her limited knowledge of English made communication with villagers difficult. Despite this, she continued her journey with the help of Sujit Kumar Chaudhary, a resident of Darbhanga, Bihar, who accompanied her. He said Fernanda bathed daily before visiting temples and followed rituals with sincerity.

Embracing Hindu Beliefs

At Jyotirmath, Fernanda vowed to live a vegetarian life. Dandi Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari, the in-charge of Jyotirmath, said she has been strongly influenced by Hinduism and is studying local religious beliefs deeply. She has incorporated many practices into her own life.

Fernanda explained the religious significance of Ukhimath, where Lord Krishna’s grandson Aniruddha was married. She visited the wedding altar and listened to stories from sages and saints. According to tradition, when a war broke out between Aniruddha and Usha’s father Banasur, Lord Shiva mediated peace between Lord Krishna and the demon king. Fernanda said performing penance at this site is believed to bring relief from internal conflicts, which resonated with her personal journey.

Fernanda’s pilgrimage reflects the growing global interest in Uttarakhand’s spiritual heritage.