Badrinath Temple also known as the Badrinarayan Temple is a Hindu temple is one of the important temples of Lord Vishnu. Badrinath temple is situated in the Badrinath town of Uttarakhand- the State of India. Badrinath temple is only open for six months of a year just like Kedarnath Temple due to the harsh weather of the region. Therefore we can do the Badrinath Yatra for the six months of the year just like the Kedarnath Yatra. Badrinath Temple also opens on Akshaya Tritiya and closes on the occasion of Bhai Dhooj. It is one of the most visited holy places in India. In 2022 having a record of 2.8 million visits in just 2 months. Badrinath temple is also part of the 108 Divya Desams (Shrines dedicated to Lord Vishnu) and also part of the Do Dham Yatra and Char Dham Yatra. Many people who embark on the journey to Badrinath Temple want to visit Kedarnath Temple also therefore they opt for the Kedarnath Yatra Package.
Legend of Badrinath Temple
Legends state that the Lord Vishnu got a curse from Sage Narada when he saw Vishnu’s consort massaging his feet. Lord Vishnu felt ashamed of his deed. He went to Badrinath to do an extreme penance. When he started his meditation the cold wind started blowing of which he was not aware. Then Lakshmi his consort transformed herself into a jujube tree also known as the Badri tree (ber in Hindi) and protected him from all the cold winds. Impressed by the devotion of Goddess Lakshmi Lord Vishnu named the place as Badrika ashram.
History of Badrinath Temple
There is no historical record of the temple but the deity residing in the temple is mentioned in the Vedic scriptures. According to reliable sources, the temple is worshipped in some form during the Vedic period. Later during, Ashoka’s reign when Buddhism spread all over the country the temple was converted into a Buddhist shrine. Badrinath Temple was a Buddhist shrine till the 8th century later Guru Adi Shankaracharya opened the shrine as a holy temple. The design of the temple shows the Buddhist architecture just like a Buddhist monastery. It is also believed that Adi Shankaracharya resided in the region for six years from 814 CE to 820 CE. He resided for six months in Badrinath and other years in Kedarnath.
Festival in Badrinath
Mata Murti ka mela is one of the prominent festivals celebrated in the Badrinath Temple. This festival honors the Ganga falling on the Earth. Badrinath temple is located in the northern part of India but still, the Rawal (head priest) is a Nambudiri (Malayali Brahmin caste) chosen from the southern part of India ie. Kerala.
How to reach Badrinath Temple
Badrinath is a small town set up in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. It is situated on the banks of the Alaknanda River in the Garhwal Himalayas. The town is situated among the Nar and Narayan mountain ranges about 9km east of the Neelkantha peak. There are three main ways through which you can reach Badrinath i.e. via Air, Train, and Road.
By Air: Badrinath town does not have an airport. The nearest airport to Badrinath is Jolly Grant Airport situated in Dehradun which is 314 km from Badrinath. Jolly Grant Airport is well connected to all the major cities of India. Daily flights run to Jolly Grant. After arriving at the Jolly Grant Airport you can take a bus or book a cab to Badrinath.
By Train: Badrinath town does not have a railway station. The nearest Railway Station from Badrinath is Rishikesh railway station which is situated 295 km from Badrinath. Rishikesh railway station is well-connected to all the major destinations of India. After arriving at the Rishikesh station you can take a bus or can book a cab.
By Road: Badrinath is well connected to all the major cities of India via road. If you are from Delhi and want to visit Badrinath via road then you have to cover a distance of 525 km. You can also reach Badrinath from nearby cities like Rishikesh, Dehradun, Joshimath, and Haridwar.
FAQs
Q. What is the best time to visit Badrinath?
Ans. The best time to visit the Badrinath temple is from May to June. and again from September to November. At this time weather is captivative and the roads are less dangerous.
Q. How do I reach Badrinath?
Ans. You can reach Badrinath via Air, Train, and By Road also. The nearest airport from Badrinath is Jolly Grant Airport from there you can take a bus or cab to Badrinath. The nearest Railway station from Badrinath is Rishikesh railway station from there you can take a bus or cab to the Badrinath temple. The road network to the Badrinath is also good you can easily reach Badrinath temple via road.
