BADARINATH DHAM UTTRAKHAND (INDIA)

BADARINATH DHAMhttps://tourorient.blogspot.com/

BADRINATH TAMPLE

Badarinath Dham is considered as one of the most sacred centres of pilgrimage situated in the lofty Himalayan heights in the Garhwal hill tracks (Uttarakhand). Situated at the height of 3133 m (10248 feet) above sea level. The route to Badarinath is one of the most fascinating one due to the lofty hilly terrain, curves and cliffs amidst the most scenically beautiful place on the earth.

Throughout the route to Badarinath there are numerous pilgrimage sites at Deo Prayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, Nandaprayag and Vishnuprayag; as well as Pandukeswar where king Pandu observed Tapasya with his queen Madri and where his sons Pandavas, stayed during their pilgrimage to heaven, and the site where Bhima and Hanuman (sons of Vayu) met.

At Badarinath Lord MahaVishnu is believed to have done his penance. Seeing the Lord doing his penance in the open, Goddess Mahalaxmi is believed to have assumed the form of Badari tree to provide him shelter to face the onslaught of the adverse weather conditions, therefore the name Badari Narayan. It is believed that Lord Vishnu revealed to Narad rishi that Nar & Naryans forms were his own. It is also believed that Narad rishi, who also did his penance here, is even now worshipping the supreme God with Ashtakshara mantras.
The image of Badarinarayan here is fashioned out of Saligramam. Badarinarayan is seen under the Badari tree, flanked by Kuber and Garuda, Narad, Narayan and Nar. Mahalakshmi has a sanctum outside in the parikrama. There is also a shrine to Adi Sankara at Badarinath.

Badrinath Temple History & Legend

BADRINATH

The history of the Badrinath Temple is vague. According to one belief, the temple was a Buddhist shrine till the 8th century after which Adi Shankara converted it into a Hindu temple. Another belief is that the temple was originally established by Adi Shankara in the 9th century. It is said that he discovered an image of Lord Badrinath in the river Alaknanda and enshrined it near Tapt Kund. He also expelled the Buddhists living in that region. In the 16th century, the King of Garhwal moved the idol in the present temple. The temple came under the British rule when the state of Garhwal was divided. The Badrinath Temple has gone through several renovations. In the 17th century, it was expanded by the Kings of Garhwal. In 1803, it was destroyed in a major earthquake and was rebuilt by the King of Jaipur. 

Badrinath Temple Architecture

The Badrinath Temple, located on the banks of Alaknanda River, looks attractive from outside with the colourful main gate. It is called as the Singhdwar which is around 50 metres tall with a small cupola on top. The entire shrine is divided into three structures- the Garbha Griha or the sanctum sanctorum, the Darshan Mandap for the rituals and the Sabha Mandap for the devotees. The Garbhagriha has a conical shaped roof covered with sheets of gold and is 15 metres tall. A series of broad stairs lead devotees to the main entrance. Just inside is the mandap, a large pillared hall which has walls of intricate designs. The main shrine has an image of Badrinarayan, a 1 metre tall black stone, holding a conch and a Chakra. The sanctum also houses images of many other gods like Nar and Narayan and Lakshmi and saints like Adi Shankara, Vedanta Desika and Ramanujacharya

Lord Badari Narayan (also called as Badari Vishal) is armed with Shankh (Conch) and Chakra in two arms in a lifted posture and two arms rested on the lap in Yogamudra.The principal image is of black stone and it represents Vishnu seated in meditative pose. The temple also houses Garuda (Vehicle of Lord Narayan). Also here are the idols of Adi Shankar, Swami Desikan and Shri Ramanujam. Guru-Shisya parampara is supposed to have its roots here

Location: Right Bank River Alaknanda

Dedicated To: Lord Vishnu

Altitude: 3133 Mt.

Built In: 8th Century AD

Best Time to visit:- The ideal time or peak season to go for a Char Dham Yatra is from May to October, except monsoons. This is because; all the four sacred sites are perched in Garhwal Himalayas, which is prone to heavy snowfall. As a result, all the passage leading to the shrines are blocked. Moreover, during the monsoon season, there is undue threat of having landslides, which can further disrupt the journey. 

Kapat Opening:- The kapat of Shri Badarinath Temple had been opened on 30th April 2018 at 4:30 AM.


GETTING THERE
Air : Nearest airport is Jolly Grant, 317 kms.
Rail : Nearest railhead is at Rishikesh, 300 kms.
Road : Well connected to Rishikesh, Haridwar, Dehradun and Delhi.