Badrinath Temple
बद्रीनाथ धाम
📍 Badrinath, Chamoli, Uttarakhand
Between the Nar and Narayan ranges on the Alaknanda, Badrinath is Vishnu's Himalayan abode. It is one of India's four Char Dham and one of Uttarakhand's Chhota Char Dham.
नर-नारायण पर्वतों के बीच अलकनंदा तट पर — भगवान विष्णु का हिमालयी धाम, चार धामों में एक।
इतिहास History
Tradition holds that Adi Shankaracharya recovered the black shaligram image of Badrinarayan from the Narad Kund and re-established worship in the 8th century. The bright facade dates from later rebuilding after earthquakes and avalanches.
By tradition, the chief priest (Rawal) is a Namboodiri Brahmin from Kerala. In winter, worship continues at Pandukeshwar and Joshimath.
कथा The legend
Vishnu sat in deep meditation here in the bitter cold, and Lakshmi sheltered him by taking the form of a badri (jujube) tree. That is how the place got its name, Badri-nath.
दर्शनीय Don’t miss
- Tapt Kund, the hot spring at the temple's foot
- Mana village, Vyas Gufa and Bhim Pul a few kilometres away
- Brahma Kapal on the Alaknanda for shraddha rites
उत्सव Festivals
मंदिर दर्शन Temple story
The secrets of Badrinath, from our YouTube series.
▶ Watch all 18 Temple Stories on YouTubePhoto: Anubha khare · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons