Badrinath - India HillTop Trips - Splendid hills and Majestic retreats

This place has some special significance from the Indians perspective. According to the ancient believers, the name Badrinath has cropped on the basis of Badri Van, where the lush green Badri trees grow. The word badri is derived from the wild berry that Lord Vishnu survived on during his reparation at Badri Van. Badrinath is an 8th century monastery and a temple to the Hindu god Shiva. The great Indian scholar and teacher Sankaracharya hold the credit to develop this popular pilgrimage. Adjacent to the shrine is the hot spring pool of Taptakund in which pilgrims take a dip before worshipping Sri Badrinatha. Badrinath is one of the four Dhams, a devout Hindu has to visit in his lifetime to attain salvation.

Hill Resort | Elevation | Travel | Season | Tourist places | Accommodation | Location | Badrinath Map

The Hill Resort

There is a very popular shrine of Lord Vishnu, which is said to have been built by Adi Guru Shankaracharya in the early 9th century AD. The place is one of the four pilgrimage center of Garhwal the other three being Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. Badrinath is also called the Baikunth Dham or the Heaven on Earth. The entrance of the temple is significant. The gates of the temple are closed from the month of October till April and the idol of Vishnu is shifted to Vasudeva temple at Joshimath. There is a hot water spring, Tapt Kund, near the temple. It has hot water even when it is freezing cold all around the spring is said to cure several diseases naturally by taking a dip in it. The other hot water springs in Badrinath are Narad Kund and Surya Kund.

The tons near Badrinath are Vishnu Prayag, Karna Prayag, Nanda Prayag, Pipalkoti and Chamoli. All the towns have temples, big or small. You can get the local touch in these towns and can purchase local products from the markets.

Origin

According to local legends, the place got its name from the plant of Badri, a local wild berry. The story goes that Lord Vishnu was sleeping at this place when the sun trays started to disturb him. His consort Parvati, took the shape of the Badri plant to provide shade to the lord. Vishnu, happy with her devotion, told her that the place would become known by her name since then. Hence, the place got the name Badrinath.

Pilgrim's Country

An old Indian proverb goes, "There are many sacred spots of pilgrimage in the heavens, earth and the nether world, but there has been none equal to Badri, nor shall there be." Indians, known for their religious fervor, lay special importance to this holy town. The etymological root for the name of the town goes to the Badri Van, where the lush green Badri trees grow. According to a local myth, the word badri is derived from the wild berry that Lord Vishnu (God of the Hindu trinity, entrusted with preserving the Universe) survived on during his reparation at Badri Van.

Beware

All tourists should be careful of cheats in the form of seers and saints. The fakirs dupe the tourists with both their money and other belongings. One should always keep an eye out for the frauds, who also exploit the religious and spiritual sentiments of the visitors for immoral motives.

UP Tourism organizes package tours during the yatra season, i.e., during April to November, to the Char Dham temples of Garhwal. Packages from Delhi feature luxury buses, accommodation, and eight-day and twelve-day tours to Badrinath and Kedarnath. Besides this, UP tourism also features weeklong taxi packages from Delhi to the same locations at fair rates. The organization has its offices in most major cities, and in Delhi, one can call up 011-3322251 for further information.

Elevation

Badrinath - 3,133 m.

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Location Details

Situated on the right banks of the river Alakananda in the northern province of Uttar Pradesh, Badrinath is couched within the two mountain ranges of Nar and Narayan, with the Neelkanth peak on the background. This breathtaking sight is itself an enchantment for tourists and is called the "Garhwal Queen." It is located in the northern district of Chamoli and the nearest cities are Rishikesh (300 km), Mussourie and Dehradun. This hill resort is a famous pilgrimage for the Hindus as the temple of the God Vishnu is situated here.

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How to Reach There and Distances

By Air

the nearest airport to Badrinath is the Jolly Grant Airport near Dehradun. It is about 317 km from Badrinath.

Bt Rail

The nearest railway stations to Badrinath are at Rishikesh and Kotdwar, which are at a distance of 297 km and 327 km respectively.

By Road

Baronet is very well connected with the important cities like Rishikesh, Haridwar, Dehradun and the cities of Kumaon.

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Best Season to Visit/Weather

The hill station is closed almost after Diwali as during the winter months as the area becomes snow-covered. The tourist season starts from the month of May. The weather is not to so hot during the days and cold by the night during the summer months. You have to take light woolen clothes as the weather can change suddenly.

It is never too hot even in the summers, with night temperatures falling to as low as 10 deg C. This makes it a pleasant retreat from the other tropical places in the country.<

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Tourist places near Badrinath

Tourists, both foreign and local, flock to the temple of Badrinath, which was built by Adiguru Shankaracharya in the early ninth century AD. This acclaimed abode of Lord Vishnu is one of North India's "Four Holy Temple Cities" or dhams along with Puri, Rameswaram and Dwaraka. Badrinath is also known as Tapobhumi (land of meditation and penance) and Bhubaikunth (heaven on earth). It is situated at an altitude of 3133 meters above sea level. Besides the main temple itself, the entrance to the shrine is of special significance. The temple of Badrinathji remains closed from October to April due to the winter snow, when temperatures fall to sub-zero degrees.

Before entering the temple itself, the pilgrims take a holy dip in the Tapt Kund, where there are thermal springs with natural curative properties. It is supposed to be the abode of Agni, the Hindu God of fire. Other famous natural spring sites are Narad Kund and Surya Kund.

The pilgrims generally perform the rites of remembrance and reverence for the departed souls of their near ones in the Brahma Kapal, a flat platform on the banks of the river Alakananda. A rock boulder with the impression of Sheshnag, a mythological serpent, called Sheshnetra, is also a place to visit. The footprints of Lord Vishnu are present on a boulder called Charanpaduka, and are of religious significance. Another important temple is the Mata Murti temple, dedicated to the mother of Badrinathji.

The origin of Alakananda River, Alka Puri, is of special interest to the daring tourists. Satopanth, a triangular lake, is located at a height of 4402 meters above the sea level and is one of the sources of the Alakananda River. It is named after the Hindu trinity-Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva.

At the convergence of the rivers, there are pilgrim sites that are collectively called the Panch Prayag. Devprayag, at the confluence of Bhagirathi and Alakananda, is famous for its rock inscriptions and the temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and Raghunath. Rudraprayag, at the meeting point of Alakananda and Mandakani, is known for the Rudranath and Chamunda Devi temples. Nandaprayag is known for the Gopalji temple. Karnaprayag is the confluence of Alakananda and Pindar rivers and is famous for its temples dedicated to Uma and Karna. The fifth pilgrimage spot is Vishnuprayag, at the confluence of Alakananda and Dhauliganga, where there is a very ancient temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, besides the pool of Vishnu Kund.

Another pilgrim site is the Panch Badri. Yogadhyan Badri, where there is a meditative idol of Lord Vishnu, Bhavishya Badri, where there are forests nearby, Adi Badri, where there are 16 temples and one big temple of Lord Vishnu, are three of the most famous.

Brahma Kapal is a flat platform on the bank of the river Alaknanda. The people perform the last rites for the departed souls of their relatives on this place. you can visit Sheshnetra, a rock boulder with the impression of the Shesh Nag, the serpent on which Lord Vishnu rests. Charanpaduka is a rock boulder, which is said to be the footprints of Lord Vishnu. There is another important temple dedicated to Lord Badrinath called the Mata Murti Temple.

Alaknanda is one of the largest rivers of Garhwal and is equated with the River Ganga in holiness. The origin of the river Alaknanda is from the Glacier Alka Puri, which can be bvisited from this place. Satopanth is a triangular lake and is located at a height of 4402 m from sea level. It is one of the sources of the Alaknanda river.

Mana Village, about 4 km away, is the last village in the Indo-Tibetan border. Other places of interest include Vyas Gufa, dedicated to Sage Ved Vyas; Bhim Pul, the natural bridge over the legendary Saraswati River; the 122-meter-high Vasundhara Falls; Pipalkoti, a place of natural beauty; and Chamoli, a retreat of serene verdure.

Badrinath is one of the famous Panch -Badri in Chamoli district of Garhwal. The other Badris are the Yog Dhyan-Badri famous for the idol of Vishnu in meditative position, Adi-Badri known for a group of 16 temples, Vriddha-Badri known to be the earliest shrine of Badrinath and Bhavishya-Badri, which will be worshipped in future. All these temples are worth paying a visit for their religious sanctity as well as architectural heritage.

Around Badrinath

Joshimath is another religious place. It was established by Adiguru Shankaracharya and named it Jyotirmath, which later came to be known as Joshimath. Auli, 6 km from Joshimath can be visited for skiing and other winter sports during winters. There are other temples dedicated to Goddess Durga and Lord Narsingha. Gobindghat, situated between Joshimath and Badrinath, is an important place for the trekkers. Another very famous tourist attraction is the Valley of Flowers, with the Pushpavati River and Rataban peak nearby. Lok Pal Hemkund is a beautiful lake in the vicinity of the country's highest Gurdwara, Hemkund Sahib.

Badrinath Temple(Adi Shankaracharya Ji)

The Temple has been renovated several times due to damage by avalanches. The present structure is 15 mtrs high and has a gilded cupola. The rawal or chief priest of the temple is a Namboodripad Brahmin from Kerala. The temple is divided into three parts - the garbha griha or sanctum sanctorum, the darshan mandap where the rituals are conducted and the sabha mandap where devotees assemble.

Tapt Kund And Surya Kund

The famous hot springs just below the temple. The sulphurous waters have a temperature of 550C. A dip, considered holy and refreshing to the body as well as the soul, is a must before offering prayers to Shri Badrinath ji.