Lord Vishnu Temples
The most important temple of Lord Vishnu is Badrinath temple. It is also most important of four char dham yatra destinations. It is believed that idol of Lord Vishnu inside the temple was found by Adi Shankara in the Alaknanda river. He had a dream in which Lord Vishnu directed him to dive in the river and recover the idol. Since them, Badrinath, a hill station in Uttarakhand has become an important pilgrimage spot. During the summer months, when the gates of temple are opened, millions of devotees flock to Badrinath. It is also believed that Badrinath is permanent residence of Lord Vishnu.
Badrinath Temple - Mythological Legend has it, when the Ganga was requested to descend to earth to help suffering humanity, the earth was unable to withstand the force of its descent. Therefore the mighty Ganaga was split into twelve holy channels. Alaknanda was one of them that later became the abode of Lord Vishnu or Badrinath.
History of Badrinath
The existence of the temple can be dated back to the Vedic period, and is known to have been turned from a Buddhist shrine into a Hindu temple by Adi Shankara. The current structure of the temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, was created by the King of Garhwal, known as the place where Lord Vishnu performed his penance. And, in order to provide him shelter, Goddess Mahalaxmi took the form of a Badri tree, giving the name Badarinarayan.
Various other legends are attached to the town, one of which speaks that the Pandavas crossed the town of Badrinath, on the way to heaven passing through the Mana village, also known as the last Indian town near the Tibetan border. A cave in the village named as the Vyasa cave, named after the Saint Vyasa, who is known to have authored the Mahabharata in the cave.
Location of Badrinath
The Badrinath temple is situated along the River Alaknanda banks in the hills in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. It stands tall at a height of 3,133 m, and is among some of the most visited pilgrimages in India. The temple is surrounded by the Nar and Narayan mountains, which lies 9 km east of the Nilkantha peak. Badrinath lies north of Rishikesh and 62 km northwest from Nanda Devi mountain peak.
How to Reach Badrinath?
Air
The nearest airport to Badrinath is the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun. From Dehradun there are taxis and buses that can be hired to reach the destination. Badrinath lies at a distance of 331 km from Dehradun.
By Train
The nearest railway stations to Badrinath are at Rishikesh, Kotdwara and Haridwar. The first two are small stations and are not connected by fast trains. However, Haridwar is connected via the Indian Railway network to major cities in India.
By Road
Badrinath can be reached via National highway 58 which connects the town to Delhi and other major cities of India. Buses from Delhi to Badrinath via Haridwar and Rishikesh are available throughout the year, bus and taxi services are increased during the summer season when the pilgrims travel for their Char Dham Yatra. Buses and taxis are available from Rishikesh and Haridwar too.
Places to Visit in Badrinath
Other than the famous Badrinath Temple, the town has many other must-visit tourist spots. Some of them include:
Tapt Kund
Brahma Kapal
Neelkanth Peak
Mata Murti Temple
Charanpaduka
Narad Kund
Mana village
Vyas Cave
Ganesha Cave
Panch Dharas and Panch Shilas