Badrinath Temple,Darshan Information

Badrinath Temple

27 Jan

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Situated in the town of Badrinath, Uttarakhand, Badrinath or Badrinarayan Temple is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is one of the 108 Divya Desam dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The temple is also part of Chota Char Dham pilgrimage. The temple is open for six months (from the end of April to the beginning of November) and closed for the rest of the year due to extreme weather conditions. The Badarinath is originally believed to have been a Buddhist shrine till the 8th Century. It was later established as a pilgrimage site by Adi Shankara in the 9th Century.

Location Uttarakhand, Chamoli, Dehradun

Legend

According to the legends, when the Ganga was requested to descend to earth to ease the suffering of humans, the earth was unable to withstand the force of its descent. To control the force of the descent, Lord Shiva let Ganga flow through His hair and the river was split into 12 holy channels. Alaknanda was one of them and later, it became the abode of Lord Vishnu. According to the legends, it is believed that when Lord Vishnu meditated here, Goddess Lakshmi turned herself to Badri tree (bush) and sheltered him from cold weather. Pleased with Lakshmi, Vishnu named the place Badrika Ashram and later it became Badrinath.

This temple is part of famous

Char Dham Yatra.

Chota Char Dham Yatra

Architecture

The temple is structured in 3 major parts- the Garbhagriha (sanctum), the Darshan Mandap (worship hall), and Sabha Mandap (convention hall). The conical-shaped roof of the sanctum, the garbhagriha, is approximately 15 m (49 ft) tall with a small cupola on its tip. The cupola is covered with a gold gilt roof. A broad stairway leads up to the main entrance, a tall, arched gateway. Just inside is a mandap, a large, pillared hall, that leads to the sanctum, and the shrine area. The walls and pillars of the hall are covered with intricate carvings.

Picture courtesy: commons.wikimedia.org

Culture

Badrinath is one of the most holy pilgrimages. It is a part of 'Chaar Dhaam' Yatra and naturally, one of the most spiritual locations in India. Long trek bring people from different states together and serve one ultimate spiritual objective. The entire valley looks like a never ending procession of merry pilgrims during the 'yatras'. Traveling to Badrinath is one of the greatest spiritual experiences.

Darsan Info

The temple kapat might remain closed during certain periods. Kapat opens as per the astrological configuration on Basant Panchami. Hence, it's better to confirm before visiting. Usually Temple opens at 7-8 AM for Darshan

Darsan Dresscode

Considering that the Yatra involves trekking at an attitude of 14000 ft, devotees are advised to wear comfortable clothing as per the weather. Women are advised NOT to wear sarees. People suffering with critical illnesses are advised to consult their doctor before commuting.