Badrinath

Situated at an altitude of 3,133 mts, Badrinath is an important place of pilgrimage for devout Hindus all over the world and is regarded as a place where the union of ‘Nar’ and ‘Narayan’ happens.

Legend

A number of legends are associated with Badrinath. It is believed to be a place sacred to Vishnu, in His dual form of Nar and Narayan. According to one legend, Goddess Ganga was requested to come down on the earth to help out the distressed humanity. Since the earth was not capable of withstanding the huge thrust of descent, the Ganga was split into twelve sacred channels. Alakananda, one of those channels, became the abode of Lord Vishnu.

The mountains around Badrinath are related to the stories of the Mahabharata. On their way to Heaven, Pandavas passed through Badrinath and ended their life by ascending the slopes of a peak, named Swargarohini. There is also a cave in Mana where Vyas, according to popular belief, created the “Mahabharata”.

Another legend has it that the word Badri is an edible berry that grew in plenty in the area. Goddess Lakshmi took the form of berry to feed Lord Vishnu when He performed prolonged penance in the extreme climate of the Himalayas.

Many ancient scholars like Ramanujacharya, Madhawacharya and Vedanta Desika came to Badrinath and wrote sacred religious texts here.

According to the Hindu scriptures, Badrinath is described as the best of all the sacred shrines in Heaven, hell and on the earth but there is no shrine like Badrinath, nor there will be one.

When to travel

The shrine of Sri Badrinath is open from April-May to October-November. The best time for visiting Badrinath is April-May. The temple is closed during winter.

How to travel

The nearest railway stations are Haridwar, Rishikesh and Kotdwar, which are away from Badrinath by 310kms, 297 kms and 327 kms respectively. Buses regularly operate from New Delhi, Haridwar and Rishikesh to Badrinath. The early morning buses reach Badrinath in the early evening. The late service buses make a night halt at Joshi Math or Rudraprayag. Buses do not ply on the narrow and risky roads at night. On the way back, buses leaving Badrinath in the earning morning reach Rishikesh or Haridwar at around 9 p.m. Badrinath is also connected to Kedarnath and Gangotri by regular bus services.

The nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport near Dehradun, located 317 km away from Badrinath.

Where to stay

Badrinath witnesses a heavy rush of tourists in May and June. Unless rooms are booked in advance, tourists have to go through a tough time finding a suitable place to stay in. The usual room rent in Badrinath is almost double the rent charged elsewhere in India.

Rooms are available in pilgrim guesthouses maintained by Badrinath Temple Committee. They are located close to the river. Rooms for these guesthouses can be booked at the Information Centre. The Temple Committee has their booking offices in Delhi or Rishikesh from where booking can be done in advance.

The best place to stay in is the GMVN Nigam Tourist Bungalow where both ordinary and air-conditioned rooms are available. The Nigam also maintains a cheaper lodge with common bath for lower income groups of tourists. Besides, a few hotels and lodges with moderately priced rooms are available in Badrinath.

There are a number of good restaurants where tourists can relish quality foods.

Where to go

Badrinath Temple

There are five Badri temples – Adi Badri, Vriddha Badri, Bhavisya Badri, Yogadhyan Badri and Badri Vishal at Badrinath.

Badrinath Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, is ensconced in the twin mountain ranges of Nar and Narayan on the bank of Alakananda. The temple was built by the 8th century saint-philosopher Adi Sankaracharya. The 15 mt-high temple suffered the ravages due to the effects of avalanches at different points of time. Renovation was also done to protect it from dilapidation.

Set against a picturesque mountainous background, the temple is divided into three parts – “garbha griha”, the “darshan mandap” and the “sabha mandap”. Out of 15 images in the temple complex, the most spell binding one is the 1 meter high, finely sculpted image of meditative Badrinath, representing Lord Vishnu.

Neelkanth

It is a snow-covered peak, shaped like a pyramid, which the local people call the “Garhwal Queen”.

Sheshnetra

This is a boulder with the looks of the eye of the legendary snake “Shehnag”

Charanapaduka

It is a beautiful pasture where there is a boulder carrying a footprint. It is believed to be the footprint of Lord Vishnu.

Tapt Kund

It is a warm spring on the banks of the river Alakananda. It is believed to be the abode of Lord Agni (God of Fire). Devotees take holy dip in the spring to get their sins washed off.

Hemkund Sahib

The sacred lake of Hemkund, situated near the Valley of Flowers, is a common place of pilgrimage for both the Hindus and the Sikhs. There is a holy Sikh shrine where Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru, is believed to have merged with God after prolonged meditation. Located nearby is Lakshman temple where Lakshman, the younger brother of Rama, performed his penance. Nature has lavished her beauty in abundance around Lakshman Temple.

Mana Village

4 kms away from Badrinath, this place has a Tibetan concentration. Vyas Gufa, the cave where Veda Vyas lived and composed verses of the “Mahabharata”, is located nearby. The other places of tourist attraction are “Bhim Pul” over the river Saraswati and 122 mt-high Vasundhara Falls.

Govindghat

Govindghat is the meeting place of the Alakananda and the Lakshman Ganga rivers. It is also famous for a magnificent Gurdwara that attracts a large number of Sikh pilgrims from all over the country.

Mata Murti Temple

The temple is located on the right bank of the river Alakananda. It is dedicated to the mother of Sri Badrinath. Maninag Parvat is located nearby. It is believed to be the place where Yudhisthira answered all the questions of Yamaraja to bring his brothers back to life.

Satopanth

A three-cornered lake, believed to be occupied by Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswar, is situated at an altitude of 4,402 mts. The lake has a circumference of 1 km and is favourite spot of trekkers. The landscape has a breathtaking beauty but the route is hazardous.

Joshimath

Joshimath is located 44 kms from Badrinath. Believed to be the ‘winter home’ of Sri Badrinath, Joshimath is situated on the slopes above the confluence of Alakananda and Dhauliganga. It is one of the four “maths” established by Adi Shankaracharya.

Urvashi Temple

It is the temple where God Indra’s vanity was crushed by Urvashi, the prettiest dancer of Heaven.

Auli

Auli is an excellent resort belonging to the Garhwal district of the Himalayas. From an elevation of 2500 mts, the tourists can have a striking view of the Himalayas. Its mind-blowing slopes attract winter sports lovers from across the country.

Chamoli

It is a small hill retreat located 10 kms from Badrinath on the highway from Gopeswar. Tourists flock to this place to relish the green, eye-soothing landscape and fresh mountain air.

Valley of Flowers

The exquisite beauty of the valley, lying to the east of Badrinath, has made it a favourite spot for the Nature lovers. The sight of the flowing Pushpawati through the valley has added to the attraction of the place. It has become a national park.