Badrinath Yatra

Badrinath is one of the four dhams in the revered Char dham yatra. Badrinath is one of the sacred sites which was founded by Sri Shankracharya in the ninth centuary. The Badrinath temple is also known as Badri Narayan which is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, who is believed to have done penance in the mythical Brindavan – which once covered the Uttarakhand mountains.Also known ‘Tapobhumi’, Badrinath is a land of meditation and penance. Facing the Badrinath temple is a hot water spring, known as ‘Tapt Kund’. Other famous springs, here, are the Narad Kund and the Surya Kund. Badrinath is presided over by a Namboothiri Brahman from Kerala, the Rawal, who also acts as the head priest for Kedarnath.Badrintah Temple: The temple at the bank of Alaknanda River is a hot water spring known as “Tapt Kund”, a bath in which is very refreshing to all travellers. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the temple of Shri Badrinath Dham ji, is 5 m high, built in the form of a cone with a small cupola of a gilt bull and spire. The temple opens every year in the month of April-May and closes for winters in the third week of November. Even though legend dates the temple back to the Vedic age, Guru Adi Shankaracharya has established the present temple. The temple has three parts – Garbha Grih (The Sanctum Sanctorum), Darshan Mandap (for pujas) and Sabha Mandap (for devotees to assemble).The Badrinath temple was constructed and renovated by Shankaracharya some time in 8th century during his pilgrimage toBadrinath Dham and Kedarnath Dham after he had established ‘Jyotirdham’ in Joshimath. Narada Kund, Surya Kund, Basudhara, Mata Murti and Charan Paduka are the other holy places of attraction for the large number of pilgrims who visit Badrinath Dham every year. About 8 kms from Badrinath in the west, there is a group of snow peak called Choukhamba with height up to 6700 m. There is another peak called Neelkantha about 9 km. south west of Badrinath.The temple of Badrinath is visited by about six lakh pilgrims every year. There is a plan to make a village complex for the pilgrims at an estimated cost of rupees one crore. Presently hotel Devlok has been constructed at Badrinath to provide board and lodging facilities to pilgrims.