Char Dham-Badrinath Temple,BadriDham

Badrinath Dham is one of the most sacred pilgrimage places of Hindus in India. This temple is known to be tribute to Lord Vishnu and hence is called Badri Vishal and Badrinarayan Mandir. It is also one of the beautiful tourist places in Uttrakhand state.

Cradled in the twin mountain ranges of Nar and Narayan is the holiest of the four main shrines, Badrinath along the left bank river Alaknanda. With the splendid Neelkanth mountains as the backdrop, Badrinath mandir is an important destination on the scared itinerary of every devout Hindu. Once the spot was

carpeted with ‘badris’ or wild berries and hence was famous as ‘Badri Van’. Badrinath Yatra is considered a must for every pious Hindus, If you haven’t undertaken the journey till now, let us give you details of the Badrinath tour.
Badrinath is consideration an Adisiddhapeeth- a place renowned for its mystico-magical power and hence considered conducive to the practice of spiritual-meditational exercises, tantric ritual or penance. There are interesting tales attached to its name. Badri is the Sanskrit word for a common berry, ber, usually offered to Shiva. The faithful believe that a gigantic badri tree is situated here which is not visible to mortals in the age of Kali. Considered one of the Char Dham or four principal places of Hindu worship, Badrinath is perched comfortably at an altitude of 3,122m on the slopes of a U-Shaped valley, protected from avalanches by a rocky projection above. Nilkanth stands by like a sentinel, and below the temple flows the crystals-clear torrent of the Vishnu Ganga. A short distance and a hard climb away from the main shrine are the Vyas and Ganes gufas (cave). The Mahabharata, according to tradition, was composed and dictated there.

The Badrinath temple is naturally the biggest attraction in town.The Badrinath area is referred to as Badari or Badarikasram in Hindu scriptures. It is a place sacred to Vishnu's dual form of Nara-Narayana. Another legend has it that when the goddess Ganga descended to earth to help suffering humanity, the earth was unable to withstand the force of her descent. Therefore, the mighty Ganga was split into twelve holy channels, Alaknanda being one of them. It later became the abode of Lord Vishnu or Badrinath.

Architecture of Badrinathdham Temple:-

Badrinath is consideration an Adisiddhapeeth- a place renowned for its mystico-magical power and hence considered conducive to the practice of spiritual-meditational exercises, tantric ritual or penance. There are


interesting tales attached to its name. Badri is the Sanskrit word for a common berry, ber, usually offered to Shiva. The faithful believe that a gigantic badri tree is situated here which is not visible to mortals in the age of Kali. Considered one of the Char Dham or four principal places of Hindu worship, Badrinath is perched comfortably at an altitude of 3,122m on the slopes of a U-Shaped valley, protected from avalanches by a rocky projection above. Nilkanth stands by like a sentinel, and below the temple flows the crystals-clear torrent of the Vishnu Ganga. A short distance and a hard climb away from the main shrine are the Vyas and Ganes gufas (cave). The Mahabharata, according to tradition, was composed and dictated there.

The temple is approximately 50 ft (15 m) tall with a small cupola on top. The facade is built of stone, with arched windows. A broad stairway leads up to a tall arched gateway, which is the main entrance. The architecture resembles a Buddhist vihara (temple), with the brightly painted facade also more typical of Buddhist temples. Just inside is the Mandapa, a large pillared hall that leads to the Garbhagriha, or main shrine area.

The Badrinath temple is divided into three parts – the ‘Garbha Griha’ or the sanctum sanctorum, the ‘Darshan Mandap’ where the rituals are conducted and the ‘Sabha Mandap’ where devotees assemble.

At the Gate, directly opposite the main Idol of the Lord himself, is seated the idol of Bird Garud, the vehicle of Lord Badrinarayan, sitting in prayer with his hands folded. The walls and pillars of the mandapa are covered with intricate carvings.

Garbha Griha:-The Garbha Griha portion has its canopy covered with a sheet of gold offered and houses Lord Badari Narayan, Kuber (God of wealth), Narad rishi, Udhava, Nar & Narayan. The complex has 15 idols especially attractive is the one-metre high image of lord Badrinath, finely sculpted in black stone.According to legend Shankara discovered a black stone image of Lord Badrinarayan made of Saligram stone in the Alaknanda River. He originally enshrined it in a cave near the Tapt Kund hot springs. In the sixteenth century, the King of Garhwal moved the murti to the present temple. It represents Lord Vishnu seated in a meditative pose called padmasan.

Darshan Mandap:- Lord Badari Narayan is armed with Conch and Chakra in two arms in a lifted posture and two arms rested in Yogic Pose. Badarinarayan is seen under the Badari tree, flanked by Kuber and Garuda, Narad, Narayan and Nar. As you look, standing to the right side of Badrinarayana is Uddhava. To the far right side are Nara and Narayana. Narada Muni is kneeling in front on the right side and is difficult to see. On the left side are Kubera-the god of wealth, and a silver Ganesh. Garuda is kneeling in front, to the left of Badrinarayana.

Sabha Mandap:- It is a place in the Temple complex where devotees and pilgrims assemble.

Entrance Gate And Compound Development :-
Badrinath was established as a major pilgrimage site by Adi Shankara in the ninth century. In recent years its popularity has increased significantly, with an estimated 600,000 pilgrims visiting during the 2006 season,compared to 90,676 in 1961.The temple in Badrinath is also a sacred pilgrimage site for
Vaishnavites.
Badrinath has been mentioned as a holy place in scriptures and legends for thousands of years. According to the Srimad Bhagavatam, “There in Badrikashram the Personality of Godhead (Vishnu), in his incarnation as the sages Nara and Narayana, had been undergoing great penance since time immemorial for the welfare of all living entities.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.4.22).
Badri refers to a berry that was said to grow abundantly in the area, and nath means “Lord of”. Badri is also the Sanskrit name for the IndianJujube tree, which has an edible berry. Some scriptural references refer to Jujube trees being abundant in Badrinath. Legend has it that the Goddess Lakshmi took the form of the berries to provide sustenance to Lord Vishnu during his long penance in the harsh Himalayan climate.

About Badrinarayana at BadriDham:-
According to Skand Puran the idol of Lord Badrinath was recovered by Adiguru Shankaracharya from Narad Kund and was re-enshrined in the 8th century A.D. in this temple. Skanda Purana describes more about the place: “There are several sacred shrines in heaven, on earth, and in hell; but there is no shrine like Badrinath.”

According to mythics, Badrinath oftenly called as Badri Vishal, was re-established by Adi Shri Shankaracharaya to revieve the lost prestige of Hinduism and to unite nation in one bond.

 The idol of Lord Vishnu (Badri Nath) is made of black stone (Shaligram) and seated in a Padmasan Posture. Devotees can see the idol of Lord Badri Nath as Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, Hanuman, Kali or

Guru, in what so ever form they wish to see the almighty, all pervading and all in one.

There are many holy statues to worship and the main deity is 1m tall Murti (statue) of Lord Vishnu as the Bhagvan Badrinarayan. This Badrinarayan statue is made of dark saligram stone. The holy statue is believed by Hindus as one of 8 self-manifested or swayam-vyakta-kshetras Murtis (statues) of Lord Vishnu. The holy statue depicts lord Vishnu sitting the posture of meditation, rather than Vishnu’s more traditional posture of redining.

Five Badris(or)Panch Badris:-
Besides the main Badrinath temple, there are four other smaller badri temples. These are collectively called the panch badris or five badris. Very few pilgrims however, visit the other four Badri temples.

Yogadhyan Badri (1920 m.):-
Closest to the main Badrinath temple lies this tiny, sleepy hamlet which remains unnoticed by most pilgrims and is the winter home for the idol at Badrinath. Pandukeshwar is also an important archaeological site. Some years ago, four ancient metal foils engraved with a description of several kings in the region were discovered here. Believed to be over 1500 years old, these foils are kept at Joshimath, 30 km downstream.

Bhavishya Badri (2,744 m.):-
The bhavishya or future badri is situated at Subain near Tapovan, about 17 km east of Joshimath. According to Hindu belief, when evil is on the rise in this world, the two mountains Nara and Narayan at Badrinath will close up on each other and destroy the route to the present Badrinath. This would also mark the end of the
present world and the beginning of a new one. Lord Badrinath will then appear at the Bhavishya Badri temple and be worshipped here instead of at the present one.

Bridha Badri or the ‘Old Badri’:-
Bridha Badri or the ‘old Badri’ is the third temple about 7 kms short of Joshimath, on the main Rishikesh-Badrinath motor road at Animath. It is believed that Badrinath was worshipped here before its enshrinement by Shankaracharya at the main Badrinath seat. The temple of Bridha Badri is open throughout the year.




Adi Badri:-
Adi Badri is the farthest from the other four badris. It is approachable from Karnaprayag by a motorable
road enroute Ranikhet. The temple complex has 16 small temples with intricate carvings.


Tapt Kund:-
Devotees take a holy dip in the natural thermal springs on the banks of the river Alaknanda, before entering

the Badrinath Temple. The water of the kund is believed to have medicinal properties.

The route from Haridwar till Badrinath is dotted with so many pilgrimage sites such as Deoprayag (where the Alakananda and Bhagirathi rivers merge to form the holy Ganga), Rudraprayag (where Mandakini River merges with Alakananda), Karnaprayag (where Pindar River merges with Alaknanda), Nandaprayag (where Nandakini River merges with Alaknanda) and Vishnuprayag (where Dhauli Ganga river merges with Alaknanda) and Pandukeswar where king Pandu did penance and where his sons Pandavas stayed, on their way to heaven. A river will always flow along the route till Badrinath and one will find too many falls, small and big, on the way. Though the buses start from Haridwar at 5 in the morning and reach Badrinath in the evening, but one should never travel the distance in a single day. It will not only tire you, but you will also miss the beauty of the hills. It is advisable to travel by a private vehicle or is still better to hire a SUV (Innova, Tavera, Sumo etc) to enjoy the route and be comfortable in your journey.

The route is Haridwar--->>Srinagar/Kirtinagar--->>Rudraprayag--->> Chamoli --->> Pipalkoti--->> Joshimath--->> Govindghat--->> Badrinath.


Vasundra falls: - Vasundhara Falls is five kilometers away from the Mana village. It is 400 feet high and water falls like droplets due to the height. It is an amazing view.

Valley of flowers: - Nanda Devi National Park or Valley of flowers is a protected UNESCO world Heritage site, known for its immensely beautiful meadows that get carpeted with flowers during rainy season. It, nestled at 3858 m in Himalayas, has 87.5 sq kms area of pristine meadows. 20 kms of stiff trekking (from the base station Govindghat) takes one to this amazing valley which is in its full bloom in the months of July,
August and September. Camping is not allowed anywhere in the Valley as it is risky. GMVN tourist rest house is available at Ghangria, 5 kms before the Valley of Flowers.
A majestic peak of the Himalayas, towering to a height of 6,600 m. Other places of interest are the Mata Murti, Sesh Netra and Urvashi temples & Charanapaduka


Nara Parvatham is also called as Kubera Bhandar since lots of precious gems and diamonds are found on its glaciers. Once, there lived an arakkan (demon) by name "Sahasrakavacha", who gave lots of trouble for the Rishis and yogis. All of them prayed towards the perumal to save them out from the Demon. At that time, both Naran and Narayanan did tapas towards the perumal. On hearing that these two persons were doing severe tapas towards the Emperumaan, Sahasrakavachan rushed towards them to kill them. Both, Naran and Narayanan fought strongly with the demon and finally killed him. Thus, they permanently stayed in Badrinath to save all the Rishis and Yogis from all the demons.

About 5 miles away from Badrinath, is a place known as "Dharma Shila". It is believed that in this place, Dharma Rajan and his wife Kala did tapas towards the Lord Sri MahaVishnu. As a boon from the Lord, Dharma Raja and his wife asked that the Lord should also be along with them and that's the reason why Dharma shila is found near Badrinath.
There are pancha shilas near Tapta Kunda. Sri Narada Shila is there just opposite to the Tapta Kunda. Below this (in Alakananda waters at the time we went), there is Narada Kunda where Sage Narada had done deep penance. Sri Markandeya Shila is near Tapta

Kunda in the Alakananda dhaara. Here Sage Markandeya had done aaradhana of Lord BadriNarayan. Above Narada kund, in waters, there is a shila in the shape of Lion, which is Sri Narasimha Shila. After killing Hiranyakashipu Lord Narasimha bhagwan had come here. One can clearly see Sri Varaha Shila in Alakananda waters. After killing demon Hiranyaksha, and having saved Prithvi, Lord Varaha Bhagwan stayed at Badrikashram in shila roop here. In the Alakananda there is Prahlada kund, Karmadhara and Lakshmidhaara tirth. After following small stairs towards the temple, one finds Kedareshwar temple near Sri Garuda Shila. The water flows into Tapta Kunda from below Garuda Shila


Hemkund Singh:-
Near the Valley of Flowers is the holy lake Hemkund- an important pilgrimage of the Sikhs and Hindus. Along its shores is the sacred Sikh Shrine where Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru unified with God after prolonged mediation in his previous birth.

Nearby is the Lakshman Temple where Lakshman – the brother of Lord Rama performed his penance. The reflection of surrounding snow-clad peaks in its placid waters offers a scenic sight.




Brahma Kapal:-
A flat platform on the bank of river Alaknanda where Hindus perform propitiating rites for their deceased
ancestors.









Neelkanth:-
A Pyramidical-shaped snowy peak towering above Badrinath, popularly known as the ‘Garhwal Queen’.





Mana Village (4 kms.):-
Inhabited by Indo-Mangolian tribe, it is considered to be the last Indian village before Tibet on this route. Nearby are Vyas Gufa- the rock cave of saint Ved Vyas, the writer of Mahabharata; Bhim Pul- a natural
bridge over the Saraswati river and Vasundhara Falls- a 122 mts. high waterfall- all forming and important part of the pilgrimage to Badrinath.








Mata Murti Temple (3 kms.):-
On the right bank of Alaknanda stands the temple dedicated to the mother of Sri Badrinathji.




Alka Puri (15 kms.):-
The source of Alaknanda river from the glacier snouts of Bhagirath- Kharak and Satopanth glaciers.

Satopanth (25 kms.):-
A three cornered lake with a circumference of about 1 km., situated at an elevation of 4,402 mts. above sea level. It is named after the Hindu triad- Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, who are believed to occupy one corner

each of the lake. The trek is hazardous with dramatic landscapes. An experienced guide is advisable.



 
Govindghat (25 kms.):-
The confluence of Alaknanda and Lakshman Ganga rivers. It has an imposing Gurudwara named after Guru Gobind Singh.






Kaudiyala:-
At an altitude of 480 m, the mighty waters of the River Ganga here are ideal for white water rafting. Rock climbing can also be arranged. GMVN conducts river-rafting courses at Kaudiyala.








Joshimath (44 kms.):-
The winter home of Shri Badrinathji is situated on the slopes above the confluence of Alaknanda and Dhauliganga. It is one of the four ‘maths’ established by Adi Guru Shankaracharya.



Muchukund Gupha:-
Near the summit of the mountain on which the Vyas Gupha is located, there is this Muchukund Gupha at very high altitude. The puranic story goes that Kaliya Yawan was finished by the mere sight of Muchukund the hunter. Though this was all prearranged by Lord Krishna appeared before Muchukund to give him Darshan. Muchukund paid obeisance and greeted and worshipped the lotous feet of Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna advised Muchukund tiengage in penance (tapashya). Lord Krishna also informed Muchukund that his next birth would be as a brahmin and that life of brahmin will bring him salvation. In this gupha Muchukund meditated and penanced.

Bheempul:-
On the out skirts of Mana villege these is a bridge over Saraswati. It is made of huge slab of stone, popularly known as Bheempul. When the Pandvas and Draupadi were on their way to swargarohan, it was Bheem's responsibility to get them across the rivers and other difficult places.



Saraswati nadi:-
The saraswati River emerges from lateral glacier near Mana village.Touching Vyas Gufa,the river is lost in the
Alaknanda at Keshav Prayag.








Keshav Prayag:-
Keshav prayag is the confluence of rivers Saraswati and Alaknanda. This name is as originally mentioned in Skanda Purana.








Swargarohini (The Stair way to Heaven):-
These are seven steps of fabled mountain. it is believed that the Pandavas,after visiting Badrikashram,ascended to Heaven by climbing these snow steps. That is the reason the place is called
swargarohan,ascent to Heaven. Swargarohini is as beautiful as one can describe about Heaven.



Panch Prayag:-
The five important confluences- Deoprayag, Nandprayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag and Vishuprayag, form the Panch Prayag.



Deoprayag:-
The confluence of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers. Ancient stone scriptures are found here. Important
pilgrim spots are Shiv Temple and Raghunath Temple.






Rudraprayag:-
The confluence of Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers. The temples of Rudranath and Chamunda Devi are
noteworthy.









Nandprayag:-
The confluence of Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers. The Gopalji Temple is worth a visit.














Karnaprayag:-
The confluence of Alaknanda and Pindar rivers with temples of Uma and Karna.








Vishnuprayag:-
The confluence of Alaknanda and Dhauliganga rivers. An ancient temple of Lord Vishnu stands here by a
pool called Vishnu Kund.



Srinagar:-
The old capital of Garhwal, it is an important cultural and educational centre. Places to visit include Kamleshwar and Kilkeshwar temples and the Shankar Math.

Best Time to visit:- The ideal time or peak season to go for a Char Dham Yatra is from May to October, except monsoons. This is because; all the four sacred sites are perched in Garhwal Himalayas, which is prone to heavy snowfall. As a result, all the passage leading to the shrines are blocked. Moreover, during the monsoon season, there is undue threat of having landslides, which can further disrupt the journey.

 By Air
1) The nearest Domestic Airport is Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun, nearly five hours journey from Badrinath by road. 2) The second nearest International Airport is Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi which is located at a distance 540 Kms away from Badrinath.

By Road
Badrinath is 1)21 Kms from Nanda Devi, 2)45 Kms from Joshimath, 3)100 Kms from Gopeshwar, 4)104 Kms from Nandaprayag, 5)152 Kms from Rudraprayag, 6)187 Kms from Srinagar, 7)293 Kms from Rishikesh, 8)313 Kms from Haridwar and 9)521 Kms from New Delhi. Being located on National Highway 58, it is well connected with Delhi and also with Mana Pass in the state.

By Rail
The nearest railway stations are 1)Rishikesh (at 297 km), 2) Kotdwara (at 327 km) and 3) Haridwar railway junction, 24 km farther from Rishikesh, has train connections to most of the major cities in India.