JAI BADRI VISHAL
BADRINATH in Himalyas
Badrinath is situated in the lap of Nar-Narayan Parvat, with the towering Neelkanth peak (6,597mts.) in the background. Also known as the Vishal Badri, the largest among the five Badris, it is revered by all as the apt tribute to Lord Vishnu.
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 (Badrinath) in the north, Rameshwaram in the south, Dwarkapuri in the west and Jagannath Puri in the east. Badrinath situated at an elevation of 3,133 mts. is considered to be amongst the most pious.
The revered spot was once carpeted with wild berries which gave it the name 'Badri Van' meaning 'forest of berries.' Built by Adi Shankaracharaya, the philosopher-saint of the 8th century, the temple has been renovated several times due to damage by avalanches and restored in the 19th century by the royal houses of Scindia & Holkar. The main entrance gate is colourful & imposing popularly known as Singhdwar.
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The Hindu Scriptures state that the life of a Hindu can't be complete without a visit to Badrinath. Apart from spiritual terms the visit to Badrinath will linger all through your life. The snow covered mountains, the water falls , the fresh air, the innocent faces of the Gharwal people they are mesmirising.
- The Badrinath Temple !!!
- The temple adjacent to the river Alaknanda!!!
- The Mighty Peaks!!!
- The Bus Stop at the Top-Badrinath!!!
In Gharwal Uttharakand(Uttaranchal) there are four holy temples Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri. They are the sources of river Alaknanda, Mandakini , Bahgirathi(Ganga) and Yamuna. These four temple are also called as Char Dhams by piligrims. And now a days many tour-packages are also available for Char Dham Trip.
About The Temple :
Badrinath is situated at an altitude of 3500 meters amidst the snowy and magnificent valley between the two mountains called Nara and Narayana after the great sages who meditated here. The temple is situated on the right bank of the river Alakananda which later joins Mandakini and then Bagirathi at Devprayag from where it is called Ganga.
The idol of the Lord here is a saligrama (type of a holy stone) seated naturally in padmasana (lotus pose).Only here the idol of Vishnu is in yogic pose. Here he sits alone in splendid isolation without his consort and is immersed in the bliss of soul. According to eminent historians, the temple had existed well before the period of the Mahabharata. With the advent of Buddhism, the territory surrounding this sacred place came under the influence of the Buddhists. The ancient temple was destroyed and the idol was thrown into Alaknanda river. It was Adi Shankaracharya, who discovered the image in the Alakananda from the pool known as Narad Kund and installed it in the Garud Gupha near the hot water spring known as Tapta Kund. It remained here for about seven centuries. Then at the insistence of the great Vaishnava saint called Varadarajacharya, the then ruler of Garhwal made a temple at the spot where the present temple stands and had the idol installed therein. The gold canopy of the temple is supposed to have been a gift of the famous Queen, Ahalyabai of Holkar..
Narad Kund is a recess in the bed of the Alakananda River which forms a pool and is close to the Tapta Kund. It is sheltered by a projecting rock which breaks the force of the river and allows people to bathe in it. Adi Shankaracharya knew this by his great powers and retrieved the idol from this pool. He is the one who has laid down the rules by which the Lord is to be worshipped. He decreed that the Rawal or chief priest of the temple should come from the state of Kerala, far down south. He also decreed that the chief priest of the temple of Rameswaram in the south, should be from the state of Garhwal. Thus he ensured that there was a good interchange between the north and south of this holy land. This tradition is followed to this day and the Rawal of Badrinath is always a Namboodiri Brahmin from Kerala, the land of Adi Shankara’s birth.
How to Reach:
Badrinath is the most accessible of the Char Dhams. The temple is connected by road. Since it is near China border road has been constructed by the BRO. Badrinath is at a distance of 290 kms from Rishikesh. Rishikesh is the last railhead. Lot of Buses run from Rishikesh to Badrinath. Private vehicles can be hired. The road through the weak structures of himalayas are prone to frequent landslides . So better avoid going by your own vehicle. It is better to hire experienced driver of that area. State buses are very frequent. As the gradient is very steep, the average speed will be around 15-20 kmph. So the entire distance can't be coverd in a day. It is tradition and a very strong belief that one should first visit Kedarnath and then come to Badrinath. After Visiting Kedarnath one can take direct bus from Gauri Kund to Badrinath.
- Airport :
- Railhead : Rishikesh
- Road :There is road connection to the temple from Rishikesh
Other Places :
Mana Village-the last village of INDO-CHINA
. The place to visit are "Vyas Guha" -
Another 5 kms takes you to vasudhara falls .......the waters are believed to be very sacred.
A very scenic 3km walk beyond Badrinath along the Alaknanda River and past fields divided by dry-stone walls leads to tiny but charismatic Mana village......a place of legends, which is crammed with narrow stone laneways and traditional houses of varying designs – some have slate walls and roofs while others are wooden with cute balconies. You can wander around and watch the village ladies knitting colourful jerseys or weaving blankets or carpets while the men tend the sheep or play cards or carom. Carpets (Rs 150 for a small square, Rs 2000 for bigger ones), blankets and jerseys are all on sale.
Just outside the village in a small cave is the tiny, 5000-year-old Vyas Temple the place where Ved Vyas written the legend "Mahabarath" -just near by is the "Ganesh Guha" where Lord Ganesh helped Ved Vyas in writing the Mahabarath .Near by is a point where Saraswati river is visible.This is the only place where sarswati is visible.....if u do'nt believe in lengends---the scenic beauty of this place make u thrust "Even Gods might have been impressed by the beauty and stayed there"....., and nearby is Bhima’s Rock, a natural rock arch over a river that is said to have been made by Bhima, strongest of the Pandava brothers, whose tale is told in the Mahabharata. The 145m Vasudhara Waterfall can be seen from the village and is a 4km hike along the river. The villagers migrate to somewhere warmer and less remote – usually Joshimath – between November and April. From the large bus station at the entrance to Badrinath buses run to Govindghat and Joshimath but check scheduled departure times or you may end up stranded.
Valley Of Flowers :
- The Monsoon Waterfalls in The Sanctury!!!
How to Reach--From Rishikesh to Badrinath , just 5km before badrinath , is the point to start for 'Valley of Flowers'-considered as the Switzerland of India.One has to travel 19km by walk to reach this place of beauty.But through out journey u come across the beauties of Mighty Himalays....
Best Time To Visit
During monsoon from mid-July to mid-August.