Dhyan Badri Temple, Urgam, Uttarakhand

Dhyan Badri Temple, Urgam, Uttarakhand

Dhyan Badri Temple is situated at about 2,135 metres (7,005 ft), above sea level, located in the Urgam valley, close to Kalpeshwar on the banks of river Kalpa Ganga. Dhyan Badri Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. Dhyan Badri is the sixth among the famous Saptha Badri Temples of Uttarakhand. They are Badrinath, Adi Badri, Vriddha Badri, Ardha Badri, Bhavishya Badri and Yogathyan Badri. It is also a part of the Char Dham Yatra Uttarakhand destinations. May to October is the ideal time for one to visit.

Legends

The legend of Dhyan Badri is related to Urvashi, son of King Puranjaya of the Pandavas lineage. He meditated in Urgam valley and established a temple of Lord Vishnu here.

The Temple

The Temple is situated in the picturesque surroundings at an altitude of 2135 meters. This image of Vishnu is four-armed, made of black stone and in a meditative posture. Moreover, the temple is sometimes included in the Panch-Badri list. There is also a temple dedicated to god Shiva built by Adi Shankaracharya. Kalpeshwar, one of the Panch Kedar sacred temple of Shiva, is situated 2 Kms away. Brahmins from South India serve as head priests in the temple.

Festivals

Krishna Janmashtami and Makar Sankranti are the festivals celebrated in this Temple.

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 29 Kms from Joshimath, 82 Kms from Karnaprayag, 251 Kms from Rishikesh Railway Station, 254 Kms from Rishikesh, 274 Kms from Haridwar, 275 Kms Haridwar Railway Station, 269 Kms from Dehradun Airport and 505 Kms from New Delhi Airport. This temple is situated at about 29 Kms from Joshimath on the Joshimath to Karnaprayag Road.

Rishikesh is the major starting point for road journey to Joshimath. Regular buses operate from Rishikesh Bus Station to Adi Badri via Karnaprayag. The nearest railway station is at Rishikesh, which has a small railway terminal. Haridwar Railway junction, 24 Kms farther from Rishikesh, has train connections to most of the major cities in India. Nearest Airport is Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun.

Location