Vriddha Badri, Joshimath, Uttarakhand

Vriddha Badri, Joshimath, Uttarakhand

Vriddha Badri is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located near Joshimath at the elevation of 1,380 metres (4,530 ft) above mean sea level, on the Rishikesh – Joshimath – Badrinath road. Vriddha Badri is situated at Animath in Chamoli district in Uttarakhand state of India. It is also called as Briddha Badri. Vriddha Badri is part of famous Panch Badri and Saptha Badri Temples of Uttarakhand. The Vriddha Badri Temple dates back to Gupta Period.

Legends

Vriddha Badri:

As per legend, Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of a Vriddha or old man before sage Narada who performed penance here. Thus, the idol installed at this temple is in the form of an old man. Hence, the place came to be called as Vriddha Badri.

Association with Shankaracharya:

According to legend, the image of Badrinath was carved by the divine craftsman Vishwakarma and worshipped here. At the advent of Kali yuga, Vishnu chose to remove himself from this place, later Adi Shankara found the partly damaged image in Narad Kund pond and established it at the central Badrinath shrine. It is believed that Badrinath was worshipped here by Adi Shankara, before his enshrinement at the Badrinath temple.

The Temple

The Temple follows Nagara Style architecture. Presiding Deity Badrinath, is housed in the sanctum in the form of old man. There is no other idol found in this temple. The chief priests of the temple are from Southern India. The temple is open throughout the year.

Festivals

Krishna Janmashtami and Makar Sankranti are the famous festivals celebrated here.

Religious Significance

Pancha Badri:

As this temple was the first one of the five Badri temple of Uttarakhand, where the worship been started first, so the temple is called as "Adi Badri". These five Badris are - Adi Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Yogadhyan Badri, Vriddha Badri & Badri Vishal of Badrinath. Some people omit Vriddha Badri and instead include Narasinga Badri.

Saptha Badri:

The seven temples of Badri in and around Badrinath are called as Sapta Badri temples. They are Badrinath, Adi Badri, Vriddha Badri, Dhyan Badri, Ardha Badri, Bhavishya Badri and Yogadhyan Badri. Hence, Adi Badri is one of the Sapta Badri sites. Some people include Narasinga Badri as one of the Sapta Badri sites.

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. For safety reasons, the gates of the temples are also closed for this period of time and the idols are shifted to nearby pilgrim points.

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 3 Kms from Joshimath Bus Stand, 28 Kms from Kalpeshwar, 82 Kms from Karnaprayag, 255 Kms from Rishikesh, 275 Kms from Haridwar Railway Station, 279 Kms from Haridwar, 269 Kms from Dehradun Airport and 497 Kms from New Delhi Airport. The Temple is situated near to Joshimath at the elevation of 1,380 metres (4,530 ft) above mean sea level, on the Rishikesh – Joshimath – Badrinath road. It is situated ahead of the Kalpeshwar Mahadev Temple, ahead of Helang. The temple is located in a secluded place in the hilly area, which can be reached by trekking for about one and half kms.

Location

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

Yogadhyan Badri, Pandukeshwar, Uttarakhand

Yogadhyan Badri, Pandukeshwar, Uttarakhand

Yogadhyan Badri is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located at Pandukeshwar at the elevation of 1,829 metres (6,001 ft), close to Govind Ghat in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Yogadhyan Badri is also called Yoga Badri and is as ancient as the main Badrinath Temple. The temple is situated en route to Badrinath from Joshimath. Yogadhyan Badri is part of famous Panch Badri and Saptha Badri Temples of Uttarakhand. It is also considered as the winter abode for the Utsava-Murti (festival-image) of Badrinath, when the temple of Badrinath is closed.

Legends

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/12/yogadhyan-badri-pandukeshwar-legends.html

History

Copper plate inscriptions found here indicate that the region was ruled by early Katyuri Kings and the region was known as Panchal Desh, now officially designated as Uttarakhand. One inscription extols the grant of land given by King Nimbarana.

The Temple

The image housed in the sanctum is in a meditative posture and thus the image is called Yoga-Dhyan (meditative) Badri. The idol is life size and has been carved from Shaligram stone. The idol of Udhava, Kuber and Lord Vishnu is worshiped in this temple. Another historic location is the Suryakund, on top of Milam glacier, is a hot water spring, where Kunti - mother of Pandavas gave birth to her illegitimate son Karna, fathered by the sun-god Surya.

 

Yogadhyan Badri is also considered the winter abode for the Utsava-Murti (festival-image) of Badrinath, when the temple of Badrinath is closed. Hence, it is religiously ordained that a pilgrimage will not be complete without offering prayers at this place. Bhatts (priests) from South India serve as chief priests in the temple.

Connectivity

Yogadhyan Badri is located at about 100 meters from Pandukeshwar Bus Stop, 2 Kms from Govind Ghat, 11 Kms from Hanuman Chatti, 23 Kms from Badrinath, 23 Kms from Joshimath, 100 Kms from Karnaprayag, 132 Kms from Rudraprayag, 272 Kms from Rishikesh, 270 Kms from Rishikesh Railway Station, 293 Kms from Haridwar Railway Junction, 292 Kms from Haridwar, 287 Kms from Dehradun Jolly Grant Airport and 520 Kms from New Delhi Airport. Yogadhyan Badri is situated in Pandukeshwar, located en route from Govind Ghat to Hanuman Chatti.

Rishikesh is the major starting point for road journey to this place. Regular buses operate from Rishikesh Bus Station to Yogadhyan 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

Bhavishya Badri, Joshimath, Uttarakhand

Bhavishya Badri, Joshimath, Uttarakhand

Bhavishya Badri is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located close to Joshimath in the state of Uttarakhand, India. The temple is located to the east of Joshimath, which is a popular town en route to Badrinath and an important military cantonment. It is located in a village called Subhain in the Niti valley. Bhavishya Badri is part of famous Panch Badri and Saptha Badri Temples of Uttarakhand. Enshrined in the temple is an idol of Narasimha, the lion-faced incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Adi Shankaracharya founded this temple while the priests traditionally come from south India.

Legends

According to the legend of Bhavishya Badri (literally "Badri of the future"), when evil transcends the world, the mountains of Nara and Narayana would block up the route to Badrinath and the sacred shrine would become inaccessible. The present world will be destroyed and a new one established. Then, Badrinath will appear at the Bhavishya Badri temple and be worshipped here, instead of the Badrinath shrine. The shrine of Narsingh Badri at Joshimath is closely associated with the legend of Bhavishya Badri.

The Temple

The presiding deity of this small temple is Lord Narsimha, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and known to be the future seat of Badrinath.

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. For safety reasons, the gates of the temples are also closed for this period of time and the idols are shifted to nearby pilgrim points.

Connectivity

Bhavishya Badri is located at about 23 Kms from Joshimath, 63 Kms from Badrinath, 102 Kms from Karnaprayag, 135 Kms from Rudraprayag, 274 Kms from Rishikesh, 272 Kms from Rishikesh Railway Station, 295 Kms from Haridwar Railway Junction, 294 Kms from Haridwar, 289 Kms from Dehradun Jolly Grant Airport and 526 Kms from New Delhi Airport. Bhavishya Badri is situated at about 23 Kms from Joshimath, beyond Tapovan and approach is through dense forest, only by trekking. It is situated on an ancient pilgrim route to Mount Kailash and Manasarovar, along the Dhauli Ganges River. 

It is situated on the way from Tapovan to Lata in the Niti valley. Bhavishya Badri is connected by a motorable road to Saldhar, beyond which, trek is required to reach the shrine. The initial trekking path from Saldhar to Subhain village is very steep and approximately takes one hour. From Subhain, the destination is about 2 Km trek through unmarked path. It is advised to take a guide at Subhain village to complete the remaining part of the trek. Accommodation cab be arranged in home stays by villagers of Subhain.

Location

Ardha Badri, Joshimath, Uttarakhand

Ardha Badri, Joshimath, Uttarakhand

Ardha Badri Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. As the size of the idol is small, the temple is called Ardha Badri (literal meaning half Badri). It is also a part of the Char Dham Yatra Uttarakhand Destinations- the four holy places of Hinduism. Ardha Badri, located on the Joshimath-Tapovan road is in a remote village and can be approached only by trekking along a steep bridle path. May to October is the ideal time for one to visit this Temple.

It is the seventh among the ‘Sapta Badri’ temples which are a group of seven holy shrines in honour of Lord Vishnu. All the Badri temples are present in Badri-Kshetra. It extends from Satapanth to Nandaprayag in the Alaknanda river valley. The main temple among the Sapta Badri temples is the Badrinath. And in ancient times, the path to the temple went through the Badri van (Forest of berries). Hence, the suffix ‘Badri’ is added to the seven holy shrines of Lord Vishnu. 

Legends

According to history, Adi Shankaracharya built Sapta Badri temples. As per beliefs, he did so to promote and spread Hinduism to all parts of the country.

The Temple

The significance of Ardha Badri is that in comparison to other temples, the idol of Lord Vishnu here is smaller. Hence, the name of the temple roughly means ‘the little Badri’.

Festivals

Krishna Janmashtami and Makar Sankaranthi are the festivals celebrated here with much fanfare.

Connectivity

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/02/ardha-badri-joshimath-connectivity.html

Location

Adi Badri, Chamoli, Uttarakhand

Adi Badri, Chamoli, Uttarakhand

Adi Badri is a Hindu Temple complex located in Chamoli District in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Adi Badri is situated in the hill ranges beyond’ Karnaprayag (confluence of Pindar River and Alaknanda River. It is a group of sixteen temples, belonging to the Gupta period. The Chief Temple is the temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. At present the entire temple sites are looked after by the Archaeological Survey of India. Adi Badri is an architectural marvel on the Himalayas.

Unlike other temples of Himalayas including the most important temples such as Badrinath and Kedarnath which have the recent structures, the structure of Adi Badri is very ancient. Adi Badri is part of famous Panch Badri and Saptha Badri Temples of Uttarakhand. The Adi Badri is the first temple complex among Badri temples. Adi Badri temple opens on Makar Sankranti and closes in the month of November.

Legends

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/02/adi-badri-chamoli-legends.html

History

Adi Badri is an architectural marvel on the Himalayas. Unlike other temples of Himalayas including the most important temples such as Badrinath and Kedarnath which have the recent structures, the structure of Adi Badri is very ancient. Adi Badri is not a single temple. But it is a cluster of 16 small temples. 14 out of these 16 temples still exist in the original form. 7 temples in this group were built in the late Gupta period, between the 5^th century CE to 8^th century CE. 

According to tradition, Adi Shankara is attributed as builder of all the temples. Adi Shankara is believed to have sanctioned these temples in order to spread Hinduism to every remote part of the country. In ancient times, when approach to the main shrine of Badrinath was closed due to weather conditions, pilgrims worshipped Vishnu at this temple. Adi Badri, also known as Helisera according to revenue records.

The Temple

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://hindutemples-india.blogspot.com/2019/02/adi-badri-chamoli-temple.html

Religious Significance

Pancha Badri:

As this temple was the first one of the five Badri temple of Uttarakhand, where the worship been started first, so the temple is called as "Adi Badri". These five Badris are - Adi Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Yogathyan Badri, Vriddha Badri & Badri Vishal of Badrinath. Few people omit Vriddha Badri and instead include Narasinga Badri.

Saptha Badri:

The seven temples of Badri in and around Badrinath are called as Sapta Badri temples. They are Badrinath, Adi Badri, Vriddha Badri, Dhyan Badri, Ardha Badri, Bhavishya Badri and Yogathyan Badri. Hence, Adi Badri is one of the Sapta Badri sites. Some people include Narasinga Badri as one of the Sapta Badri sites.

Pilgrimage:

The Adi Badri pilgrimage was initiated by Adi Shankar in the 8th century AD. Every year during summers in May-June pilgrims visit Adi Badri and on Kartika Poornima (Nov – Dec) pilgrims visit this temple to participate on the Kapal Mochan fair. The worshippers take holy dip in Kapal Mochan Kund and worship the idol. Adi Badri is an integral part of Lord Vishnu’s abodes and one must pay visit to this place once in her / his life time.

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 15 Kms from Chulakot, 19 Kms from Karnaprayag, 113 Kms from Ranikhet, 189 Kms from Rishikesh Railway Station, 192 Kms from Rishikesh, 212 Kms from Haridwar, 213 Kms Haridwar Railway Station, 207 Kms from Dehradun Airport and 446 Kms from New Delhi Airport. This temple is situated at about 19 Kms from Karnaprayag on the sub highway of Ranikhet Road of Uttarakhand. Adi Badri is an hour's drive from Karnaprayag and close to Chulakot on the way to Ranikhet.

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