Location: Right Bank River Alaknanda
Altitude: 3,133 Mt. above Sea Level
Dedicated To: Lord Vishnu
Built In: 8th Century A.D

PRIME ATTRACTIONS

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 AD, 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, and 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 Adi Guru Shankaracharya worshipped Badrinath or Lord Vishnu here before the enshrinement of Badrinath. 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.

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 endangers 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. ? Heir 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 lays 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 treks 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. Trained coaches organize regular skiing courses of varying duration. The Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam provides skiing equipment, as well as boarding, lodging and transport.

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 center. 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 birthplace 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 centers in Four Corners of India. Among them were Badrikashram in the north, Rameshwaram in the south, and 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.

Mata Murti Mela (September): During this fair, the priests of Badrinath Temple worship Mother of Sri Badrinathji.

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
Best Season: May to October every year the temple usually remains open from first week of May to 2nd week of November.
Languages:                 Hindi, English and Garhwali

HOW TO GET THERE

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, and 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.
A motorable road with Rishikesh, Kotdwara, Dehradun, Haridwar and other hill stations of Garhwal and Kumaon Hills connects Road Badrinath.

Delhi-Rishikesh: 238 km via Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Roorkee, and 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 is:

1. G.M.O.U. LTD.
2. T.G.M.O.U. LTD.
3. YATAYAT AUR PARYATAN VIKAS SAHAKARI SANGH LTD.
4. S.S.S.LTD.
5. RUPKUND TRAVELS LTD.

Other Facilities: STD service, Post and Telegraph Office, Govt. Dispensary & Police checkpoint are available in Badrinath.

PLACE TO STAY