Badrinath is a major Hindu pilgrimage and holy town in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. It is the most important of the four sites in India's Char Dham pilgrimage (Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yomunotri). It is located at an average elevation of 3,415 M (11,204 feet). It is in the Garhwal hills, on the banks of the Alaknanda River. The town lies between the Nar and Narayana mountain ranges and in the shadow of Nilkantha peak (6,560 M). Badrinath is located 301 KM north of Rishikesh. From Gaurikund (starting point of the trekking route to Kedarnath) to Badrinath by road is 233 KM.

The temple of Shri Badrinathji on the banks of the Alaknanda River dates back to the Vedic times. Situated at an altitude of 3,133 M., the present temple is believed to have been built by Adi Guru Shankaracharya - an 8th century's philosopher-saint, who also established a 'math' here. Also known as 'Vishal Badri', Badrinath is one of the Panch Badris. The temple is a major pilgrimage site of the Hindus. More than 0.6 million pilgrims pay visit to the temple at Badrinath. 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 Bhagavata Purana, "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." (Bhagavata Purana 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 Indian Jujube 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. [Source: wikipedia]

Badrinath Temple:
The Badrinath temple is the main attraction in the town. 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 (idol) to the present temple. The temple has undergone several major renovations because of age and damage by avalanche. In the 17th century, the temple was expanded by the kings of Garhwal. Due to severe damage by the great Himalayan earthquake in 1803, it was rebuilt by the King of Jaipur. The temple is approximately 15 M tall with a small cupola on top, covered with a gold gilt roof. The facade is built of stone, with arched windows and 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 garbha grha, or main shrine area. The walls and pillars of the mandapa are covered with intricate carvings.

History & Legends:
The Badrinath area is referred to as Badari or Badarikaashram in Hindu scriptures. The place is sacred to Lord Vishnu, particularly in Vishnu's dual form of Nara-Narayana. One legend has it that, the goddess Ganga was requested to descend to earth to help suffering humanity, but the earth was unable to withstand the force of her descent. Therefore, the mighty Ganga was split into twelve holy channels. The River Alaknanda is one of them. It later became the abode of Lord Vishnu or Badrinath.
In the Mahabharata epic, the mountains around Badrinath have been mentioned. The Pandavas are said to have ended their life by ascending the slopes of a peak in western Garhwal called Swargarohini i.e. the 'Ascent to Heaven'. There is also a cave in Mana where Vyasa, according to legend, wrote the Mahabharata. The Skanda Purana mentions that "There are several sacred shrines in heaven, on earth, and in hell; but there is none like Badrinath."
Badrinath has also been glorified as Bhu Vaikunta or earthly abode of Lord Vishnu. Many religious scholars such as Ramanujacharya, Madhawacharya and Vedanta Desika visited Badrinath and wrote sacred texts, such as commentaries on Brahma Sutras and other Upanishads.

How to reach:
The nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport near Dehradun, (317 km).
The nearest railway stations are at Haridwar (310 km) and Rishikesh (297 km). There are regular buses operating to Badrinath from New Delhi, Haridwar and Rishikesh. As the roads are very narrow, it is recommended to travel by all terrain vehicles.
The road between Josimath and Badrinath is open for one side traffic intermittently. So delay may occur. The driving after evening is not allowed.

Panch Badris or Five Badris:
Besides the main temple of Badrinath 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.)
This tiny, sleepy hamlet remains unnoticed by most pilgrims and is the winter home for the idol at Badrinath and closest to the main temple of 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 KM 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. Seven of these temples belong to the late Gupta period. Local tradition assigns these buildings to Shankaracharya. The main temple is distinguished by a pyramid shaped raised platform, with a black stone idol of Vishnu.

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Last Updated on Thursday, 25 March 2010 21:57