Badrinath – Complete Travel Guide

Badrinath is nestled between Nar and Narayan mountain ranges and in the shadow of the Nilkanth peak at a distance of 301km to the north of Rishikesh.This is one of major chardham of lord vishnu. It is the majestic town that provide the devotees the ultimate blessings of the Lord Vishnu. Therefore, you can never count the importance of this place even on thousands of fingertips.The aura of this holy place attracts pilgrims from all over world.

Located in the Chamoli Gharwal district of Uttarakhand State at an elevation of 3133m above the sea level, Badrinath Dham is an mostfamous Shrine of India.That holds the most important position in the Chardham Yatra being one of the four Dhams.

Every year, lakhs of devotees turn around to visit the sacred place of  Badrinath that is positioned on the left bank of Alaknanda River and bow their heads in front of the auspicious Badrinath Temple.

Badrinath Dham also owns the place among the four major Dham of India. Those four pilgrimages are Badrinath (Badrikeshwaram) in the North, Rameshwaram in the South, Dwarkapuri in the West and Jagannathpuri in the East.

It is one of divya desam of god Vishnu. Also the badrivishal temple is very popular as a part of Punch Badri also. Therefore, Its holds great significance in devotion. There are lots of stories about Badrinath.

Badrinath pilgrimage tour not only offers the sacred shrine, but it’s also a journey to attain blessings of the almighty. It does offer a captivating view of the snow-clad mountains along with the mesmerizing landscapes of the Gharwal region. Visitors visiting Badrinath town can enjoy the undulating peaks, sacred water bodies, and unparalleled recreational activities and make the trip memorable.

History of Badrinath

Historical background of the tirtha Badrinath Dham takes you to several stories. Among them, the first and the foremost one is the story of the derivation of its name that is derived from word Badri that holds the meaning of a wide berry. According to the sources, when Lord Vishnu sat on penance on the mountains, Goddess Lakshmi transforms herself in a berry tree and provides shadow to the Lord against the harsh sun rays.

Not only in our Lok katha but also our various Puranas describes the importance of this place very well. And as per Skand Purana, this Shrine is totally incomparable. It carries an incomparable presence on the Earth.
As per the mythological stories, the shrine is also known as Badri Vishal that was reestablished by the Adi Guru Shri Shankaracharya. He had done the process of reestablishing this great shrine with the purpose to reunite the lost glory of the Hinduism.
Along with it, the mythological stories encapsulate the renowned tale of Pandav brothers who took this route when having the journey to heaven. As per mythology, the five Pandavas along with wife Draupadi took the way Swargarohini peak that lies near Badrinath and Mana village.

The legendary site of Badrinath Shrine also receives the footfall of some of the great sages of Yore. To name a few, we have Kapila Muni, Kashyap, and Gautam. These sages have performed the penance here and attain salvation.

Best time to visit Badrinath

The most preferred time to visit Badrinath Shrine and Badrinath temple is between May and June and between September and October. Summer season is the most preferred period for this pilgrimage tour. However, the period between September and October can make your journey more comfortable.Take extra precaution in this area during monsoon as you may face the serious risk of facing landslides and related issues.

How to Reach Badrinath?

How to reach Badrinath by Air

Located at a distance of 314kms, there is the nearest airport named “Jolly Grant” Airport. This airport holds the connection with other metro cities of the country. Also, you can get the motorable way to reach Badrinath from the airport. One of best Chardham Transportation Services.

How to reach Badrinath by Rail

The nearest railway station to Badrinath is Rishikesh that is located 295kms away. This railway station receives linkage with the other railway streams located in other parts of India. Also, one can easily get the road transport outside the Rishikesh railway station to reach Badrinath.

How to reach Badrinath by Road

You can easily find the motorable transport facility to reach Badrinath from different parts of the Uttarakhand state. Regular taxis and buses are easily available to make you land at your destined location.

Places to visit in Badrinath

Badrinath Temple

It is the most sacred and most visited site in Badrinath town. Located at the right bank of the Alaknanda River, this pious temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

Charan Paduka

It’s a beautiful meadow that lays 3 kms above Badrinath Temple. Here, you can find a heavy rock having the footprints of the Lord Vishnu, that appeared when the Lord get descended from Vaikunth.

Panch Dhara-Panch Shila

In Badripuri, Panch Dharas is famous with the names; Prahlad, Kurma, Urvashi, Bhrigu, and Indira. Similarly, five blocks or Shilas are famous around the Tapt Kund. They are; Barah, Garur, Narad, Narsimha and Markandeya.

Brahma Kapal

It’s the flat platform on the bank of river Alaknanda where people perform Sradha’s for their ancestors. Herein, you can find the number of pundits to help you with the ritual’s essentials.

Narad Kund

This Kund is located near the Tapt Kund. People believe that the devotees should do the darshan of Badrinath only after taking a holy Dipin this Kund.

Neelkantha Peak

Named after Lord Shiva, this Pyramidal shaped peak is located above the Badrinath temple. Located at the height of 6560mts above sea level, this peak is the first to receive the sun rays.

Tapt Kund

This Kund has the majestic holy water that has some really very unbelievable medicinal properties. People believed to enter the temple after taking a holy dip in the Kund. Also, it is believed that the water of the Kund is powerful to cure allergies of the people.

Satopanth

It is the renowned triangular lake that witnesses the arrival of almighty Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh on every Ekadashi.

Places to visit in Mana Village

Mana Village

It is the last village of Indian origin on the China border. This village is 3kms away from Badrinath. The village is full of caves and has the very famous Ved Vyas Gufa.

Bheem Pul

An adventurous place with a great mythological chapter associated. As per the sources, Bheem removed a massive rock between the two mountains to make the way easy for Draupadi.

Vasundhra falls

One of the renowned tourist attractions that lie in Mana Village. Here, people believed that the water of the falls is so powerful that it turns back the visitors who are impure by their hearts.

Vyas Gufa

This Gufa or Cave is named after Ved Vyas, the great saint of Mahabharata Kaal did so to Lord Ganesha to get the epic written.

Mata Murti Temple

This temple is dedicated to the mother of Lord Vishnu. Owing to the blessings of almighty Lord, Mata gave birth to twins named Nar and Narayan. The temple is located at a distance of 3kms from Badrinath.

Sheshnetre

It is the boulder that is imprinted in between the two seasonal lakes that flow on the lap of Nar Parvat. The boulder gives the impression of the snake, Sheshnaag.

Weather in Badrinath

Weather in Badrinath is the most important factor that can make your journey comfortable or worst. Therefore, while planning to have the Badrinath tour, you must mind the weather conditions first.

Weather of Badrinath in winters

Winter season in Badrinath falls between October and April. During the whole season, the temperature touches the minimum level of 5 degrees Celsius. Also even the area is prone to face zero level temperature and even vigorous snowfall. Therefore, for visiting the shrine, the winter season is very worst.

Weather of Badrinath in summers

Visitors can enjoy the pleasant journey during the summer season that hailed between May to June. However the area makes you experience a moderately cold climate with an average temperature of 18 degrees Celsius. Therefore, it is the best period to pay devotion to the holy pilgrimage of Badrinath and to attain the blessings of the almighty.

Weather of badrinath in monsoons

During the months of July, August and Mid-September, the pilgrimage area of Badrinath receive high rainfall. Also, the area makes the experience a fall down in the temperature to 15 degrees Celsius. Therefore, during this season, there lands a high risk of landslides that makes traveling difficult.

Activities to Do in Badrinath

Trekking

The visit to Badrinath provides several trekking choices for the trekkers. The thrill-seekers will find the treks such as Satopanth trek, Mana trek, and Charanpaduka trek  most exciting.

Temple tourism

Another must-do activity for the visitors. This village holds great historical significance in the form of the viewer of the journey hailed by the Pandav during their salvation period.

Conclusion

To sum up the holiness of this place is full of sprituality. In addition, Badrinath’s majestic look offers the serene and picturesque view of the snow-clad mountains and the greenish landscapes. And the aura of the town filled with spirituality and purity. To conclude the sanctity of the temples makes you bow in front of the heavenly power.

Visit of Badrinath shrine and temple and wipe off your sins and enjoy the magical charm of the journey towards salvation.