Travel In Badrinath, Uttranchal

Location: Right Bank River Alaknanda

Altitude: 3,133 mt. Above Sea-Level

Dedicated To: Lord Vishnu

Built In: 8th Century A.D

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN BADRINATH

Badrinath Temple

Perched at an altitude of 3,133 mt. above sea-level, in the middle of a beautiful valley, it is located on the right bank of holy river Alaknanda. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the temple of Shri Badrinathji is 15 mt. in height, built in the form of a cone with a small cupola of a gilt bull and spire.

Legend dates the temple prior to the Vedic age, though the present temple is believed to have been established by Adi Shankaracharya, the 8th century A.D., Hindu reformist.

The temple has been renovated several times due to earlier damages by avalanches and looks modem now with a colourful "Singh Dwara" or the main entrance gate. The temple has three parts - Garbha Griha (the sanctum sanctorum), Darshan Mandap (for pujas) and Shobha Mandap (for devotees to assemble).

It is believed that the image of Badrinath had been thrown into the Alaknanda river during the time of the Buddhist era and later retrieved and reinstalled by Shankaracharya during the following Hindu revival.

There are 15 idols in the temple complex. Finely sculpted in black stone, the Badrinath (Vishnu) image is a metre high. Other images include those of Laxmi (Vishnu's consort), Garurh (Vishnu's mount), Shiva, Parvati, Ganesh etc.

With its great scenic beauty and attractive recreational spots in the vicinity, Badrinath attracts an ever increasing number of secular visitors each year.

Panch Dharas

(a) Prahalad Dhara (b) Kurma Dhara (c) Urbasi Dhara (d) Bhrigu Dhara (e) Indra Dhara.

Panch Shilas

(a) Narad Shila (b) Varaha Shila (c) Garurh Shila (d) Markandeya Shila (e) Narsingh Shila.

Tapt Kund

Natural thermal springs on the bank of the river Alaknanda, where it is customary to bathe before entering the Badrinath temple.

Narad Kund

A recess in the river, near Tapt Kund, forming a pool from where the Badrinath idol was recovered.

Brahma Kapal

A flat platform on the bank of river Alaknanda. Hindus perform propitiating rites for their deceased ancestors.

Sheshnetra

1 .5 km away is a boulder having an impression of the legendary snake, better known as the Sheshnag's eye.

Charanpaduka

3 km away is a beautiful meadow where the footprint of Lord Vishnu is seen on a boulder.

Neelkanth

A pyramidal shaped snowy peak (6,59 7mt) towering above Badrinath, presents a dramatic sight. It is popularly known as the 'Garhwal Queen'.

Other Four Badris :

Yogadhyan Badri

The temple of Yogadhyan Badri, one of the five Badris, is located at Pandukeshwar (1920 mt.) just 24 km short of Badrinath on Rishikesh-Badrinath highway. The image here in a meditative posture, is worshipped at Badrinath. According to the myth, the Pandavas handed over Hastinapur to king Parikshit and retired here.

Bhavishya Badri

The temple of Bhavishya Badri is at an elevation of 2,744 mt. and is surrounded by dense forests. Located at Subain near Tapovan about 17 km east of Joshimath on Joshimath - Lata - Malari route. Pilgrims have to trek beyond Tapovan, up the Dhauliganga river. Tapovan has sulphurous hot springs and the view of the Tapovan valley towards the north is breathtakingly beautiful. Traditionally it is believed that a day will come when the present route to Badrinath will be inaccessible and Lord Badrinath will be worshipped here. Thus the name 'Bhavishya Badri' which literally means the Badri of the future.

Bridha Badri

About 7 km short of Joshimath, on the main Rishikesh- Badrinath motor road, is Animath. It is believed that Badrinath or Lord Vishnu was worshipped here before the enshrinement of Badrinath by Adi Guru Shankaracharya. The temple of Bridha Badri is open throughout the year.

Adibadri

Adibadri is also one of five Badris and is situated quite far from the cluster of the other four which form the Vishnu-Kshetra. Approachable from Karnaprayag by a motorable road on way to Ranikhet, are remains of 16 small temples. Seven among them are more ancient, with flat roofs belonging to the late Gupta period. Local tradition assigns the building of the temples to Shankaracharya. The main temple of Narain is distinguished by a raised platform in the pyramidal form where the idol is enshrined. Sculpted out of black stone, the idol of Lord Vishnu is a metre high.

EXCURSIONS

Mata Murti Temple

Devoted to the mother of Sri Badrinathji. Other important temples include Seshnetra Temple, Urvashi Temple and Charanpaduka.

Valley of Flowers

East of Badrinath is the exotic Valley of Flowers in a conical shape with the river Pushpawati flowing through it. This valley has been declared as a National Park to regulate camping, cooking, grazing etc. which disturb environmental conditions and endanger a number of endemic flora. The valley is a 19 km trek from Govindghat. The base camp being Ghangaria, 14 km from Govindghat, where lodging and boarding facilities are available. It was in 1931 that Frank Smith and Holdsworth stumbled into this valley while returning from their successful Kamet expedition. Their subsequent writings on the valley evoked a great deal of interest among people, both at home and abroad.

Mana Village

Inhabited by an Indo-Mongolian tribe, it is considered as the last Indian village before Tibet. Vyas Gufa, Ganesh Gufa, Bhim Pul, Vasudhara Falls (3.6 km) are among the places near Mana village.

Alka Puri

15 km from Badrinath via Mana village, lies the source of Alaknanda river from the glacier snouts of Bhagirath - Kharak and Sate Panth glaciers. The spot is supposed to be the abode of Kuber, Yakshas and Gandharvas.

Sato Panth

25 km from Badrinath and located at an elevation of 4,402 mt. above sea-level is a three cornered lake of serene water with a circumference of about 1 km. The lake is named after the Hindu triad Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh who are believed to occupy one comer each of this lake. The trekis hazardous and full of dramatic views. An experienced guide is advisable. There is no place to rest except in between caves. Cooked food, stove etc, must be carried from Badrinath itself.

Arwatal

For the more enterprising, a trek to Arwatal (3,980 mt) via-Mana, Ghastoli and Aruanala is rewarding. Through hazardous icy and snowy terrain a number of streams have to be crossed. Badrinath to Ghastoli is 17 km and Arwatal is approximately another 18 km. Photography isprohibited in this area and a guide is essential.

Vyas Gufa (Cave)

Near Mana village, this is a rock-cave where Ved Vyas is believed to have composed the Mahabharat and the pauranic commentaries.

Bhim Pul

On the other side of Mana village, a massive rock forming a natural bridge, lies over the roaring Saraswati river. It presents a spectacular view of water thundering down through the narrow passage under the rock and is believed to have been placed there by Bhim, the second eldest among the five Pandava brothers.

Vasudhara

As the name suggests, Vasudhara is a magnificent waterfall with a height of 122 mt. This place is 5 km from Badrinath out of which 2 km is motorable upto Mana, the last village of India on this border.

Hemkund Sahib

Situated at a height of 4,329 mt, near the Valley of Flowers, is the holy lake Hemkund, associated with Guru Gobind Singh. Encircled by seven snow-clad peaks and their associated glaciers, the crystal clear serene waters of the lake reflect the surroundings enchantingly. The glaciers from Hathi Parvat and Sapt Rishi peaks feed the lake and a small stream called Himganga flows out of this lake.

According to the holy Granth Saheb, it is believed that Guru Govind Singh, the 10th Guru of the Sikh faith, meditated on the banks of this lake in one of his earlier births. It has not only become a place of pilgrimage for the Sikh community but also for the Hindus and people of other faith. There is a Sikh Gurudwara and a Lakshman temple built on the bank of the lake. According to the legends, Lakshman was brought here after he fell unconscious in the war with Ravana.

Govindghat

Situated at the confluence of Alaknanda and Lakshman Ganga rivers. The road here diverts to Valley of Flowers National Park (26 km) and Hemkund Sahib (28 km).

Joshimath

42 km from Badrinath. The winter home of Shri Badrinathji, Joshimath is situated on the slopes above the confluence of Alaknanda and Dhauliganga. Of the four "Maths" established by Adi Guru Shankaracharya, Joshimath is in the north.

Auli

Auli is 15 km from Joshimath at an elevation of about 2,500 - 3050 mt. In summers, Auli Bugyal (meadow) is inviting. The cable car from Joshimath to Gorson via Auli , not only offers a picturesque view of the Himalayan ranges but also makes Auli ideal for winter sports. Regular skiing courses of varying durations are organised by trained coaches. Skiing equipment, as well as boarding, lodging and transport are provided by the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam.

Pipalkoti

83 km from Badrinath. It is an extremely beautiful scenic spot.

Chamoli

A scenic spot 10 km from Gopeshwar on Badrinath Highway.

Nandprayag

Situated at the confluence of Alaknanda and nandakini rivers. Temple : Gopayi.

Karnaprayag

Situated at the confluence of the Pindar and Alaknanda rivers. The road from here diverts to Ranikhet, Almora and Kausani and Gwaldam and Kund. Temples : Uma and Karn.

Rudraprayag

Situated at the confluence of the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers. The road diverts to Kedamath from here. Temples : Rudranath and Chamunda Devi.

Srinagar

The old capital of Garhwal, it is also a cultural and educational centre. Important sites - Kamleshwar Temple, Kalyaneshwar Temple and Shankar Math.

Deoprayag

Situated at the confluence of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers, it is commonly believed to be the birth place of Ganga. Important pilgrim spots are Shiv Temple and Raghunath Temple.

Situated in the lap of Nar-Narayan Parvat, with the towering Neelkanth peak (6,597mt) in the background, Badrinath is one of the most revered Hindu shrines of India.

It has been said that "there were many sacred spots of pilgrimage in the heaven, earth and the other world but neither is there any equal to Badrinath nor shall there be one."

It is believed that to revive the lost prestige of Hinduism and to unite the country in one bond, Adi Guru Sri Shankaracharya built four pilgrimage centres in four corners of India. Among them were Badrikashram in the north, Rameshwaram in the south, Dwarkapuri in the west and Jagannath purl in the east. Badrinath situated at an elevation of 3,133 mt. is considered to be amongst the most pious.

FAIRS & FESTIVALS OF BADRINATH

Mata Murti Mela (September)

During this fair, Mother of Sri Badrinathji is worshipped by the priests of Badrinath Temple.

Janamashtami (July/August)

Special prayers and festivities are held at the temple on the occasion of the birth of Lord Krishna.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Area : 3sq.km

Climate

Month Max Temp. Min Temp

April 3°c 0°c

May 5°c 0°c

June 14.5°c 5.9°c

July 18.2°c 10°c

August 18°c 10.5°

Sept. 16°c 8.5°c

October 12.5°c 5.6°c

Nov. 5°c 0°c

Dec.-Mar. Sound Bound Snow Bound

Rainfall : 1460mm

Best Season : May to October every year the temple usually remains open from first week of May to 2nd week of November.

Clothing :

May - Heavywoollens

June-Sept. - Lightwoollens

Oct.-Nov. - Heavywoollens

Languages : Hindi, English and Garhwali

HOW TO REACH BADRINATH

Air - Nearest airport ii at Jolly Grant (315 km away), Dehradun .

Rail - Nearest railheads are at Rishikesh 297 km away and Kotdwara 327 km away, which are connected with major cities of North India. Rishikesh is directly connected by rail with Howrah, Mumbai, Delhi & Lucknow. There are two routes to Badrinath from Delhi:

Route 1 :Delhi-Rishikesh : 287 km by rail, Rishikesh-Badrinath : 297 km by road.

Route 2: Delhi- Kotdwara- 300 km by rail, Kotdwara- Badrinath- 327 km by road.

Road Badrinath is connected by a motorable road with Rishikesh, Kotdwara, Dehradun, Haridwar and other hill stations of Garhwal and Kumaon Hills.

Delhi-Rishikesh : 238 km via Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Roorkee, Haridwar. Rishikesh-Badrinath : 297 km via Devprayag, Srinagar (Garhwal), Rudra-prayag, Gauchar, Karnaprayag, Nandprayag, Chamoli , Pipalkoti, Helong, Joshimath, Vishnuprayag, Govindgaht, Hanumanchatti and Badrinath. Road Condition : Metalled with some unmetalled patches.

Taxi - Private taxies and other vehicles are also available between Rishikesh and Badrinath on hire. Rates are not fixed.

Bus - State Transport Corporation operates regular bus services from Delhi to Rishikesh daily with intervals of half an hour.

Transport Companies operating regular bus services from Rishikesh to Badrinath during season are :

ACCOMMODATION (HOTELS IN BADRINATH)

(1) Andhra Bhawan 08 Beds (21) Maharastra Bhawan 378 Beds

(2) Jhun Jhunwala Cottage 04 " (22) Raghunath Ashram 225 "

(3) Modi Bhawan I 12 " (23) Manavakalyan Dharamshala 360 "

(4) Modi Bhawan II 12 " (24) Parmarth Lok 200 "

(5) Modi Bhawan III 24 " (25) Halwasia Dharamshala 50 "

(6) Mittal Cottage 06 " (26) Birla Dharamshala 50 "

(7) Chand Cottage 24 " (27) Dhodwa Dharamshala 40 "

(8) Shankaracharya Sadan 20 " (28) Cadiya Dharamshala 20 "

(9) Badrish Sadan 22 " (29) Tantiya Dharamshala 150 "

(10) 11) PiloGujarat Bhawan 04 " (30) Bangar Dharamshala 100 "

(11) Pilo Dharamshala 80 " (31) Swaminarayan Dharmshala 50 "

(12) Kali Kamli Dharamshala 150 " (32) Bholagiri Dharamshala 30 "

(13)Bejoria Dharamshala 18 " (33) Jan Dharamshala 60 "

(14) Mansingh Dharamshala 160 " (34) Jalaram Dharamshala 60 "

(15) Rishiganga Dharamshala 140 " (35) Roopali Dharamshala 08 "

(16) Sadhu Bhawan 50 " (36) PWD Inspection House 08 "

(17) Punjab Sindh Dharamshala 300 " (37) Jal Nigam Rest House 04 "

(18) Atachi 48 " (38) Jal Sansthan Rest House 04 "

(19) Geeta Bhawan 216 " (39) Forest Rest House 04 "

(20) Balanand Ashram 84 " (40) DGBR Rest House 08 "

(41) Hotel Devlok 70 "

Restaurants In Badrinath

Vijaya - Laxmi Restaurant

Saket Restaurant

Urvashi Restaurant

Several other ordinary restaurants Liquor and non-vegetarian food are prohibited.