Badrinath is one of the most blissful dham among the char dhams in India, famous for its temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is Situated along the banks of the Alakananda River in the Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India. Lies between Nar and Narayana mountain peaks, the pious land of Vishnu also belongs to the Chota Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand.
Badrikashram
According to one mythological tale, Lord Vishnu had performed rigorous atonement at this place. During his intense meditation, he was unaware about the severe weather conditions. To protect him from the scorching heat of the sun, his spouse Goddess Lakshmi acquired the shape of Badri tree and spread over him. Witnessing this, Lord Vishnu was pleased by her devotion and hence he named the spot after her as Badrikashram.
Best Time To Visit Badrinath
The ideal time to visit Badrinath Temple is from May to October. The temple is closed from October/ November, and is reopened around April.
Places to Visit In Badrinath
BADRINATH TEMPLE: The Badrinath shrine is said to be established by Adi Shankaracharya. It was in the 16th century that a Garhwal King got a temple erected to house the statue of the God. Lord Vishnu can be worshipped in a black stone idol sitting in a meditative pose surrounded by idols of other gods like Nar, Narayana, Narad, Ganesha, Garud and Kuber.
TAPT KUND: Just below the temple, there is a natural thermal spring which is believed to be infused with therapeutic properties. A dip in the holy and hot waters of the Kund is necessary before a devotee visits the sacred shrine of Badrinath. Near the Tapt Kund also lie five boulders which are, as per mythology, Narad, Narsingh, Varah, Garur and Markanday.
NEELKANTH PEAK: Known as the ‘Queen of Garhwal’, Neelkanth Peak, standing with its gigantic height of 6,597 meter, sets a great background to the Badrinath shrine. Named after Lord Shiva, the splendor of the snow-covered peak gets augmented as it receives the first rays of the Sun at the crack of dawn.
ADI BADRI: Adi Badri is part of famous Panch Badri of Uttarakhand. It is a group of sixteen temples, belonging to the Gupta period. Among them is the Narayan temple, where a black stone idol of Vishnu, three feet high is enshrined.
JOSHI MATH: The sacred town of Joshimath spreads its celestial aura in the entire Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. The town of Joshimath is also nicknamed as Jyotirmath.
PANDUKESHWAR: Pandukeshwar is a sacred place located in-route to abode of Badrinath at an elevation of 1829 meters. At a distance of 18 km from Joshimath. There are two famous temples in Pandukeshwar. Yogadhyan Badri Temple, one of ‘Sapta Badri’ or seven Badri’s and other is Lord Vasudev Temple.
MATA MURTI MANDIR: It is located 3 km from the Badrinath temple, on the banks of Alaknanda River. Mata Murti temple is believed to be the mother of Nara and Narayan, the twin-brother of Lord Vishnu. It was the relentless prayers of Mata Murti that persuaded Lord Vishnu to take birth from her womb.
CHARANPADUKA: Strewn with boulders and caves, a steep climb of about 3 km from the Badrinath town will take you to Charanpaduka. It is a rock which is believed to be imprinted with the footprints of Lord Vishnu, as he descended on earth from Vaikunth.
SHESHNETRA: Between two seasonal lakes, on the opposite bank of Alaknanda, there exists a big rock which gives the impression of Shesh Nag, the legendary snake of Lord Vishnu. The Sheshnetra has a natural mark which looks like an eye of the Shesh Nag. Located 1.5 km from the temple, the serpent is believed to be guarding the sacred shrine of Badrinath.
VASUDHARA FALLS: A 122 meters high beautiful waterfall positioned in the tranquil surroundings of Himalayas can be reached by covering 3 km up to Mana village by road and trekking the other 6 km on foot.
ALKAPURI GLACIER: Alka Puri in Badrinath – The Venerated Source of River Alaknanda. Alkapuri is the source of river Alaknanda river. It is situated at the base of Balakun peak at 4,600 meters above sea level near Badrinath.
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