- Badrinath – One of the holiest places and the Last Town of India.
Badrinath is the home town of the Badrinath Temple which is one of the top religious and spiritual places for Hindus and Hinduism in India. The Temple is the 4th Dham among the Famous and very important spiritual journeys in Hinduism, the Char Dahm Yatra. Badrinath Dham is the last Dham in the sequence of the yatra and which comes after Yamunotri, Gangotri and Kedarnath
The Town Is situated in Garhwal Himalayas of the Chamoli District of Uttrakhand state, India. It is located at an elevation of 3,100m above sea level. The town was developed and named because of the Badrinath temple. As one of the most sacred places in India, Badrinath is a fully commercialized town and has all the major city benefits.
The town is the last town before the India and Chine border and near the town, there is a mana village is known as the Last village of India.
How Badrinath got its name
The Badrinath Dham got its name a local wild berry which Is known as Badri. According to legends, When Lord Vishnu sat for Penance (Dhayana) his wife goddess Laxmi took the form of a berry tree to protect her husband from Harsh Sun. That’s how the Temple got its name and eventually the town.
History of Badrinath
It is believed that Adi Shankracharya (a great ancient scholar of Hinduism) founded Lord Vishnu’s idol in Badrinath and later in the 8th Century AD he built the Badrinath temple which was solely dedicated to Lord Vishnu. H built it because to revive the lost pride and history of Hinduism.
It is also said that Pandavas from the epic Mahabharata crossed the Badrinath when they were on their final journey to heaven along with their wife Draupadi.
All The Char dams are situated in all four directions of India. And Badrinath is located in the North Direction of India.
Although there is so much to do in Badrinath But we have listed the 4 Topmost places to visit in Badrinath :
1. Shree Badrinath Temple:
Before starting your Badrinath journey, first, you should visit the place for which this town is famous for, Shree Badrinath Temple. The Badrinath temple is among one of the 4 Charm Dham Yatra. It is one of the top religious places on earth for Hindus and Hinduism.
The Temple is Dedicated to the preserver of the universe, Lord Vishu. This Temple attracts many Hindus as well as many other religious devotes annually, Having a record of massive 1,060,000 visits a year. The Temple is very beautifully made and also showcases The Garhwali Wooden Architecture.
The temple is only open for 6 Months (from the end of April to the beginning of November). That’s because the Badrinath town faces extreme weather conditions.
Therefore the temple’s opening date for 2021 is from 18 May, 21. And the closing date has not been announced yet! But last year it was closed on 19 Nov, 21.
How to visit: – Badrinath is Known for this Temple, so there would be no trouble finding the temple.
Exploration Time : – 2 Hr
Timings: – 6:00 Am – 8:00Pm
Entry fee: – Free Entry.
2. Narad Kund
The Narad Kund is the second Most Spiritual Attraction in Badrinath Yatra after the Badrinath temple. S the Name tells it is a water spring but the water here is hot.
Yes, You read that right, The water here is at high temperature. These hot water springs cure many skin diseases.
Actually, the Devotees first take a dip in thing water spring before going to the temple. And this Spring gets its hot water from the Gauri Shila, a spiritual rock located at the left side of Badrinath Temple.
According to legends, it is believed that Adi Shankaracharya founded an idol of Lord Vishnu here in this hot Spring.
This Hot water spring is named after Narad Muni as he wrote the great Narada Bhakti Sutra at this spot.
How to visit: – The Kund is located before the Badrinath Temple.
Exploration Time : – 30 – 40 Min
Timings: – 6:00 Am – 8:00Pm
Entry fee: – Free Entry
3. Bheem Pul
The Pul is the bridge mate on the point where Saraswati River and River Alaknanda Joins at a tremendous speed. It is situated in the village of Mana, which is the last village from the border of Badrinath and Tibet.
According to legends, when the Pandavas of Mahabharta were on their final journey to Heaven, Known as Swargohan, they were supposed to pass from the Saraswati river. But their wife, Draupadi was unable to cross the river because of its humongous flow. The Bheema placed a huge rock in such a way that she can cross that river. Now that place is known as Bheema Pul.
So if you’re a fan of Mahabharata, then this place should be must visited by you.
How to visit: – 3kms from GMVN Tourist Resort, Badrinath
Exploration Time : – 1 Hr
Timings: – No time limit
Entry fee: – Free Entry.
4. Mana Village
After visiting the Bheema pul, you can also explore the village where it is situated. As it is also a tourist destination. So as above stated, The Mana Village is the last village before the India and China border. This village is built by the Uttrakhand government as a tourist place and it is also designated as a “Tourist Village”. It is one of the top tourist attractions places you can visit near Badrinath.
The village is located at a height of 3,200 Meters and is developed on the banks of the river Saraswati. And is surrounded by the Himalayan Range.
Just like Bheem Pul, Mana Village has much more to see and explore like – Neel Kanth Peak, Vasundra, Trekking, Tapt Kund, Mata Murti Temple, etc. The village is also known for its Kidney Beans (Rajma) and Potatoes.
Here you will also find a shop which is the last shop in India, and the same thing is written on it.
How to visit: – In Badrinath. 5.2 KM from the Centre of the Town.
Exploration Time: – 6 – 8 Hours.
Timings: – No Time Limit
Entry fee: – Free Entry
When to visit Badrinath
| Travel Seasons | Min/Max Temperature | Season |
| October to April | 6-25°C | Winter – Snowy |
| April to June | 19-29°C | Summer – Sunny and Warm |
| July to September | 20-27 °C | Monsoon – Moderate to Heavy Rainfall |
It is generally advised that one should visit Badrinath in April – June. As in this time, the skies is clear, Days are pleasant which results up to make good weather conditions to explore and enjoy Badrinath. You will not be get restricted by snow or heavy rainfall or even icey cool weather in this period. You can experience the spirituality of the temple to the fullest.
How to reach Badrinath
By Air
Badrinath’s nearest airport is the Jolly Grant airport, Dehradun. It is around 315 Km from Badrinath. The airport is well connected to all the major cities of India like Delhi.
The Airport and the town is well connected with the smooth Motorable roads. With taxi and bus options available.
By Train
Rishikesh’s Railway Station is the nearest station to Badrinath. It is located around 300 Km from there and is well connected by the Indian railway networks to all the major cities of India. Both towns Rishikesh and Badrinath is well connected with buttery motorable roads. Bus and taxi service options are available.
By Road
Badrinath is well connected to all the major cities of the Uttrakhand states like – Dehradun, Rudraprayag, Rishikesh, Haridwar, etc as well as outside the state – Delhi, Ghaziabad(via national highway 58) and much more, via good quality smooth roads.
Taxi, Buses and other means of public transport is also available with a variety of options for different kind of packages.
So considering a road trip for your Badrinath trip can turn out to be more efficient because you can more enjoy the outside views than other means of transport.
Where to stay
As Badrinath is a renowned spiritual and tourist place, the town is fully commercialized. Therefore one can have various options for accommodation from budget-friendly PGs to luxurious 5 Star hotels.
However, it is advised that booking your staying place is a must before visiting Badrinath as the destination attracts various tourists annually and most of the time the accommodation places remain full.
And it is also advised that to stay near the temple as one can experience the sweat sound (or even the view )of aarti from the temple, right from their bedroom.