Badrinath - The Yatra Dham
A town in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, Badrinath is a revered Hindu pilgrimage center, popular for being one of the Char Dham sites in the country. The seat of Lord Badrinarayan, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Badrinath is situated at an elevation of 10,248 feet. The lofty mountains, temples, trekking routes and two hot water springs make Badrinath one of the most visited places in the country. It is well connected by road from Rishikesh and Kedarnath. Rishikesh is a drive of around 301 km. You can plan a complete pilgrimage tour starting Haridwar, Rishikesh, Kedarnath to Badrinath. Badrinath yatra gained prominence in the 19th century after Adi Shankara reestablished it as a pilgrimage site in the 9th century. The main attraction here since then remains the Badrinarayan Temple, visited mostly by the Vaishnavites.
Places to See in Badrinath
Lord Badrinarayan Temple
Built by the Garhwal kings, Lord Badrinarayan is the principal deity here. Lord Vishnu, is seen armed with the legendary chakra, shankh and seated in the yogamudra (meditative) position. Adi Shankara found this black stone image on the banks of the Alakananda River. It was moved to this temple in 16th century. The temple reflects the Buddhist vihara style of architecture and has a gilt roof, painted facades on the walls and three mandapas inside. Garbhagriha is the sacred sanctum, there is a darshan mandapa for devotes and a sabha mandapa or assembly hall.
Hot springs in Badrinath
The Tapt Kund and Surya Kund are the two hot water springs here. Tapt Kund is a thermal springs known to have medicinal and healing properties. Devotees take holy dip in these two natural springs before offering their prayers at the temple.
Jyotirmath
A cardinal institution established by Adiu Shanakara, Jyotimath is close to Badrinath town. The math (house of worship and spirituality) forms an excellent base to trekkers visiting the Valley of Flowers National Park. Three other such institutions established by Shankaracharya are located in Dwarka, Puri and Shringeri. The Narasimha Temple near Jyotirmath is another Lord Vishnu shrine.
Vasundhara Waterfall - This waterfall is located at a distance of 8km from the town of Badrinath. There is an excellent trekking route via the Mana village and crossing the Bhim Pool.
Hemkund Sahib - An important Sikh shrine in the state of Uttarakhand, it lies on the Rishikesh-Badrinath Highway. It is dedicated to Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth guru. It is however accessible only in the summer season as snowfall blocks the way in winters. There are regular buses plying to Govindghat from Rishikesh and Badrinath from where you need to trek 6 km to the shrine.
Excursions from Badrinath
Tourist places near Badrinath are:
Village Mana - This village is politically significant for being the last place of human habitat on the Indo-China border. The Vyas Caves are prime attraction of this scenic village. Rishi Vyas, the author of Indian epic The Mahabharata is considered to have lived in these caves. It is also believed that he composed 18 puranas here besides Mahabharata.
Valley of Flowers - A picturesque and idyllic valley, Valley of Flowers is known for its blooming flowers and the national park. The meandering Saraswati River also offers stunning views and angling opportunities. You can trek up the valley from Jyotirmath via Badrinath.
