The Badrinath Temple

The temple of Badrinath is of great significance for the Hindus. The Badrinath also known as Badri Narayan is among the four dham pilgrimage sites.This temple is dedicated to Vishnu who is also known as badrinarayan. Located in the foot hills of garhwal, along the banks of the river Alaknanda in Utarakhand, it is one of the most visited places among the holy places in India.The Badrinath temple is one of five related shrines called Panch Badri that are dedicated to worship of Lord VishnuThe town is named after the deity of Vishnu as badrinath which belongs in the Chamoli district.Since this town faces extreme weather conditions due to being located in the Himalayan region, it is closed for six months in the year i.e. from November to April.

The Badrinath Temple

History
There is no mention of the temple in the old mythological description but there is mention of the deity badri in the Vedas which is considered as the highest literary source of all the mythological records. Many say that the temple was a Buddhist shrine during the reign of emperor Ashok but later it was converted by into a Hindu temple and the idol of lord Vishnu was established by Adi Shankaracharya in 8th century AD. The idol of Lord Vishnu (Badri Nath) is made of black stone (Shaligram) and seated in a Padmasan Posture.

Badrinarayan Idol

The legend about the temple says that the place once used to be the abode of lord Shiva and goddess Parvati. Vishnu came in disguise as a small boy, crying loudly and disturbing them. Parvati asked the reason for his crying and he replied that he wanted Badrinath for meditation. Shiva and Parvati found that it was Lord Narayan in disguise. They then left Badrinath and moved to Kedarnath. It is believed that once online casino the Shraddha Karma is performed here, the descendants need not perform the yearly ritual.

Architecture of the Temple
The temple is divided into three parts: The garbh griha which is also known as Sanctum in English is the place where the idol of Lord Badrinath is seated in the inner part of the place and the canopy is covered with gold sheet. Second part is known as Darshan Mandap in which puja ceremonies are performed. Third part is the Sabha Mandap, which is an outer hall, where devotees wait for darshan of Lord Badrinath. There are other idols too seated in the sanctum of the temple. The temple is approximately 50 ft. (15 meters) tall with a small cupola on top, covered with a gold gilt roof.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 Buddhism temples.The temple has undergone several major renovations, due to age and damage by avalanche.

Badrinath Temple

The Famous Hot Sulphur Spring
There is hot sulphur spring outside the temple which is also known as Tapta kund. People take bath in it. The Tapta Kund hot sulphur springs just below the temple are considered to be medicinal—many pilgrims consider it a requirement to bathe in the springs before visiting the temple. The springs have a year-round temperature of 45°C.

Taptkund

Daily Rituals
The chanting of Vedic Hymns together with the chiming of bells creates a heavenly atmosphere in the temple. Pilgrims can join the puja ceremony after a dip in the Tapta Kund. Some of the morning pujas are - Mahabhishek, Abhishek, Gitapath and Bhagwat Path, while the evening pujas are Geet Govind and Aarti.
Hard sugar candy, Tulsi, and dry fruits are the typical prasad offered at Badrinath temple.

How to reach Badrinath

Air - Jolly Grant Airport (Dehradun) 317 km away by road. There are many helicopter service provider from Dehradun and Phata too.

Train - The nearest railway stations are Rishikesh (297 km), Kotdwara (327 km) and Haridwar (321 km). Haridwar is most connected one with other major cities.

Road - Badrinath can be reached by national highway NH58 (Delhi to Mana Pass) in Uttarakhand. Pilgrims can find many buses and taxies from Rishikesh and Haridwar.

Accommodation at Badrinath

There are hundreds of hotels both budget and luxury class for all kinds of visitors. There are both Government and corporate guest houses available as well. Several lodges and dharmasala are available at a very affordable price. Food is very affordable for all kinds of visitors.

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