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Badrinath Dham Yatra:
The famous Dham of Badrinath is one of the four major Char Dham pilgrimage sites in India along with the Chota Char Dham. It is situated on the banks of the Alaknanda River at an average elevation of 3,300 m (10,827 ft) above sea level.
Badrinath is one of the sacred pilgrimage centers for Vaishnavas among the 108 Divya Desam avatars of Lord Vishnu. Badrinath city is also part of the Panch Badri temples including Yoga Dhyana Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Adi Badri and Vriddha Badri along with Badrinath Temple.
The main entrance to the Badrinath Temple is colorful and impressive, known as the Singhadwar. The temple is about 50 feet tall, with a small cupola on top, covered with a gold gilt roof. Badrinath temple is divided into three parts:
1. Sanctum Sanctorum
2. Darshan Mandap where rituals are conducted and
3. Sabha Mandap where pilgrims assemble.
At the Badrinath temple gate, directly in front of the main idol of the Lord, sits the idol of Garuda, the vehicle/carrier bird of Lord Badrinarayan. Garuda is sitting on the dew and praying with folded hands. The walls and pillars of the mandapa are covered with intricate carvings.
The sanctum part has its canopy covered with gold sheet and houses Lord Badri Narayan, Kubera (God of wealth), sage Narada, Udhav, Nara and Narayana. There are 15 idols in the complex. Particularly attractive is the one meter high idol of Lord Badrinath, finely carved in black stone. According to legend, Shankar discovered a black stone image of Lord Badrinarayan made of Saligrama stone in the river Alaknanda. He originally installed it in a cave near the Tapt Kund hot springs.
In the 16th century, the king of Garhwal shifted the idol to the present site of the temple. It represents Lord Vishnu sitting in the meditative posture called Padmasana.
Darshan Mandap: Lord Badri Narayan is adorned with conch and chakra, two arms are in a raised posture and two arms are in yoga posture. Badrinarayan is seen under the Badri tree surrounded by Kubera and Garuda, Narada, Narayana and Nara. As you see, there is Uddhav standing to the right of Badrinarayan. On the far right are Nara and Narayana. Narad Muni is kneeling on the front right side and is difficult to see. On the left are Kubera, the god of wealth, and Ganesha of silver. To the left of Badrinarayan, Garuda is kneeling in front.
Story behind Badrinath Temple:
The name of Badrinath shrine is derived from the local word badri which is a type of wild berry. It is said that when Lord Vishnu was sitting in penance in these mountains, his consort Goddess Lakshmi took the form of a jujube tree and protected him from the scorching sun.
It is not only the abode of the Lord himself, but also home to countless pilgrims, sages and seers who meditate here in search of enlightenment.
According to mythology, Badrinath, often referred to as Badri Vishal, was re-established by Adi Sri Shankaracharya to revive the lost prestige of Hinduism and to bind the nation together.
Badrinath is a land enriched with sacred accounts from several ancient Hindu scriptures. Be it the Puranic story of the Pandava brothers accompanying Draupadi on their final pilgrimage by climbing the slopes of a peak near Badrinath called Swargarohini or the 'ascension to heaven' or the journey of Lord Krishna and other great sages, These are just a few of the many legends that we associate with this holy pilgrimage.
According to the Vamana Purana, sages Nara and Narayana (the fifth incarnation of Lord Vishnu) performed penance here.
Great sages like Kapila Muni, Gautama, Kashyapa have done penance here, Bhakta Narada attained salvation and Lord Krishna loved the region, Medieval religious scholars like Adi Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, Sri Madhavacharya, Sri Nityananda were the centers of learning and quiet contemplation. Have come here for so many continue to do so today.
Mysteries of Badrinath Dham:
1. Badrinath is part of both Bada Chardham (which are at the four corners of India) and Chhota Chardham (which are within Uttarakhand). There is a local saying regarding the glory of Badrinath. The meaning of this proverb is that one who has darshan of Lord Badrinath even once never comes back to the mother's womb, which means that the holy darshan of Lord Badrinath liberates from the cycle of life and death. For this reason, scriptures recommend visiting Badrinath at least once in life.
2. The river Alaknanda flows by the banks of Badrinath as if washing the holy feet of the Lord. The scriptures mention that in Satya Yuga every living being could have a holy darshan of his cosmic image of Lord Badrinath, in Treta Yuga only saints and sadhus with a pure heart and in Dwaparayuga when Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu assumed mortal form, declared Said that in the next age only the idol can be seen.
3. In the scriptures, Badrinath Dham has been described as the second 'Vaikuntha' (abode of Lord Vishnu). 'Ksheer Sagar' (milky ocean) is one Vaikuntha and the other is Badrinath. It is believed that Lord Shiva used to reside here but Lord Vishnu asked him for this land.
4. The Chardham Yatra begins at Gangotri from where the turbulent Ganges River originates and ends at Badrinath. Badrinath is situated between two mountains - Nar and Narayan. It is believed that two sages named Nara and Narayana, incarnations of Lord Vishnu in Satyuga, who were born as Arjuna and Krishna in Tretayuga, did penance here.
5. It is believed that the Narasimha temple of Joshimath is related to the Badrinath temple. One arm of Narasimha is gradually getting thinner. The day it breaks, the local people believe that the Nar and Narayan mountains will merge and after that there will be no darshan of Lord Badrinath.
6. There is an interesting story behind the name 'Badrinath'. Once, Goddess Lakshmi got angry with Vishnu and went to her father's house. Later, when she returned calm, she saw Lord Vishnu meditating in a forest of 'Badri' (Ber Berry) trees. Pleased, she named him Lord Badrinath.
7. The Saraswati temple is located near the village Mana, the origin of the river Saraswati, which is 3 km from Badrinath. This river flows for some time and then merges into the Alaknanda river. It is a common belief that one day even the present Badrinath will vanish and reappear in the future Badri.
8. It is generally believed that Lord Shiva was absolved of the sin of 'Brahma-hatya' (killing a Brahmin) at Badrinath. This place is known as 'Brahma Kapal', which is actually the pedestal of a high rock where people pray for their ancestors with the belief that their ancestors will be liberated from the cycle of life and death.
9. The priests of Badrinath are from the lineage of Adi Shankaracharya. He is called 'Rawal'. During his tenure as a priest, Rawal cannot marry and has to remain celibate. For them even the touch of a woman is considered a sin.
10. You will be surprised to know that on the day the doors open in Badrinath, Rawal enters the sanctum sanctorum wearing a sari and adorning Parvati. After this worship is done and only then the doors are opened.
How to reach Badrinath Dham?
Badrinath is located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand and is easily accessible from major cities, towns and states of the country.
By Air: Jolly Grant Airport is the nearest airport to Badrinath, located 311 kms away. Dehradun airport is well connected with Delhi, Lucknow and Mumbai with direct and connecting flights. You can hire a taxi from the railway station or catch a bus from the nearest bus station to reach Badrinath.
By Train: The nearest railway station from Badrinath is Rishikesh Railway Station at a distance of 290 kms. This railhead is a broad-gauge station connected to other major railway stations including Delhi, Jammu, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Pune and Kolkata. From Rishikesh, pilgrims can board a bus or hire a private taxi to Badrinath.
By Road: Inter-state and intra-state buses ply to Badrinath, making travel easy. This holy city is connected by regular buses to various cities and states like Rishikesh, Haridwar, Srinagar, Dehradun, Delhi, Haryana and Chandigarh. The fares of these buses are economical and are best to travel.
What to see in Badrinath Dham?
Mana is the last Indian village in the Himalayas bordering India and Tibet/China. It is located in Chamoli district. It has been designated as a "Tourism Village" by the Government of Uttarakhand. Mana village is the best tourist attraction near Badrinath, it is just 3 km away from Badrinath town. The village is on the banks of Saraswati river. It is situated at an altitude of about 3219 meters. This village is surrounded by the Himalayan hills.
2. Bheem Pul:
Bheem Pul is located in Mana, the last village on the border with Tibet. It is 3 km from Badrinath and is built over the river Saraswati.
3. Charan Paduka:
Charan Paduka, a beautiful rock with the footprints of Lord Vishnu is one of the popular attractions of Badrinath. This rock is situated at a distance of 3 km from Badrinath.
4. Tapta Kund:
Taptakund, as the name suggests, is a hot spring, situated between the Badrinath Temple and the Alaknanda River. This thermal spring is located in the Badrinath temple in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. Taptakund is a natural hot spring with a temperature of 45 degrees.
The dark and always mysterious Ganesh Gufa is a naturally formed cave hidden in the village of Mana, about 4 km from Badrinath. This mysterious cave is located near Vyas Cave, which is another popular attraction of Mana village.
Situated on the banks of the Alaknanda River, Brahma Kapal is a place in Badrinath that holds great significance for Hindus. This is where they pay homage to the dead souls of their ancestors. This place is situated at a distance of about two kilometers from the hills of Badrinath.
Rising near the holy town of Badrinath, the nectar-sweet Vasudhara Falls is one of the most fascinating places to visit in Uttarakhand. This mesmerizing waterfall falls from a height of about 400 ft (122 m) above sea level.
People believe that the heavenly beauty of Vasudhara Falls can be enjoyed by only those who are clean, pure and free from impurities. Although, it is a remote destination, the pure beauty and serene atmosphere of this waterfall entice nature worshipers to visit it.
Named after the goddess of knowledge, the Saraswati River is a tributary of the Alaknanda River that flows through Uttarakhand. The river joins the Alaknanda at Keshav Prayag near Mana village in Chamoli district. After joining the Saraswati River, the Alaknanda merges with the Ganges at Devprayag, known as the Bhagirathi up to that point.
Satopanth Tal Crystal clear green water, triangular lake at an altitude of 4600 meters above sea level and is adorned amidst snow clad peaks. Satopanth Tal is a high altitude lake located in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand and near Badrinath pilgrimage.
Apart from the religious importance, Satopanth has also become one of the popular treks in Uttarakhand. This glacier trek offers majestic views of the Himalayas.
Best Time To Visit:
Badrinath experiences cool weather almost throughout the year. The peak season to visit this place is between May to June and September to October.
With the onset of monsoon season, Badrinath sees heavy rainfall and drop in temperature. The winters here are extremely cold due to heavy snowfall.
Due to the heavy rainfall in the area, visitors may find it difficult to reach the temple during the monsoon season (late June to August).
In most winters, the temperature touches sub-zero levels, making the climate extremely frosty. Hence the summer season is the ideal time to visit this place.
