Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand

Badrinath or Badrinarayan Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, located in the town of Badrinath in Uttarakhand, India. The temple and town form one of the four Char Dham and Chota Char Dham pilgrimage sites. The temple is also one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Badrinath – holy shrines for Vaishnavites. It is open for six months every year (between the end of April and the beginning of November), because of extreme weather conditions in the Himalayan region. The temple is located in Garhwal hill tracks in Chamoli district along the banks of Alaknanda River at an elevation of 3,133 m (10,279 ft.) above the mean sea level. It is one of the most visited pilgrimage centers of India, having recorded 1,060,000 visits.

It is an arduous mountain route to Badrinath from Rishikesh or Haridwar in the Garhwal Himalayan region, where roads get blocked with landslides during the monsoon season. Badrinath stays closed 6 months a year from Deepavali all the way until the full moon day in the month of Chittirai (late spring in the Himalayas). Enroute are the pilgrimage sites of Devaprayag, Rudraprayag, Karana Prayag, Nanda Prayag and Vishnuprayag. Enroute are Pandukeshwar where the Pandavas are believed to have been born, and the site where Bhima and Hanuman (sons of Vayu) met.

The Badrinath Temple is surrounded by two peaks named Nar and Narayan (twin forms of Lord Vishnu as the fifth avatar) against the backdrop of the Neelakanta Mountain. The image of the presiding deity worshipped in the temple is a 1 m (3.3 ft.) tall, black stone statue of Vishnu in the form of Badrinarayan. The statue is considered by many Hindus to be one of eight Swayam Vyaktha Kshetras, or self-manifested statues of Vishnu. The village also boasts of Keshav Prayag – Sangamam (confluence) of Rivers Saraswathi and Alaknanda.

Although Badrinath is located in North India, the head priest, or Rawal, is traditionally a Nambudiri Brahmin chosen from the South Indian state of Kerala. The temple was included in the Uttar Pradesh state government Act No. 30/1948 as Act no. 16,1939, which later came to be known as Shri Badrinath and Shri Kedarnath Mandir Act. The committee nominated by the state government administers both the temples and has seventeen members on its board.

Legends

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History

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The Temple

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Poojas & Festivals

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Pooja Timings

Timings	From	To
Opening	4:30 AM	9 PM
Afternoon Break	1 PM	4 PM
Abhishekam	7:30 AM	12:00 PM
Geet Govind and Aarti	6 PM	9 PM
Sayana Aarti	10:30 PM	11 PM

Pilgrimage

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Religious Significance

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Literary Mention

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Administration

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Prayers

It is said that there are many sacred spots of pilgrimage in the heavens, earth and the nether world, but there has been none equal to Badri, nor shall there be. Rituals offerings to Pithrus (souls of the dead) are performed at Brahma Kapaalam (located at a distance of 200 ft from the main shrine) on the banks of Alaknanda, by offering prasad (rice food) of Lord Badri Narayan.

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.

This temple is opened only six months in a year, from mid of May to the third week of November. But, it depends only upon the temple authorities. The temple is closed for next six months due to heavy snow-fall in winter. Lord Vishnu is transformed from this temple to Joshimath temple for that six months when the Badrinath temple is closed. And after 6 months, he is taken back to Badrinath temple itself.

Useful Tips

One should, without fail, carry Sweaters, woolen clothing, Umbrella and required medicines during the trip. Minimum luggages should be preferred. Non-vegetarian food and alcoholic drinks are strictly prohibited in this place. Reasonable accommodation, at cottages managed by Temple committee. is available at Badri. Postal and Banking facilities are available. A State Allopathic Dispensary is also available.

Connectivity

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Location

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand – Connectivity

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand – Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 33 Kms from Vishnu Prayag, 46 Kms from Joshimath, 123 Kms from Karna Prayag, 156 Kms from Rudraprayag, 221 Kms from Devaprayag, 296 Kms from Rishikesh, 296 Kms from Rishikesh Railway Station, 316 Kms from Haridwar, 311 Kms from Dehradun Airport and 527 Kms from New Delhi. One has to take a bus from New Delhi to Haridwar or Rishikesh, from where the state transport buses are available to Badrinath. The nearest airport is Jolly Grant airport in Dehradun.

The journey to Badri, mostly from Rishikesh, is through Rudra Prayag. The road from Rudra Prayag is a single way route, passing through mountainous ranges, with the entire route fraught with dangerous curves and stone falling zones. Throughout the entire route, one the one side will be River Alaknanda and on the other mountains. Innumerable milky water falls adds to the scenic beauty to the entire route.

During rainy days, the route witnesses many landslides and will prove to be a hindrance for further journey. On account of the vicinity to the international borders and risks of landslide in the entire route, the task of maintenance of the road has been entrusted to Border Roads Organization (BRO), a Unit attached to Indian Army. The travel time will be dependent on weather conditions and landslides enroute. Badrinath is also connected by road to Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri, Uttarkashi, Nainital and Almora.

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand – Administration

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand – Administration

The Badrinath Temple was included in the Uttar Pradesh state government Act No. 30/1948 as Act no. 16,1939, which was later known as Shri Badrinath and Shri Kedarnath Mandir Act. A committee nominated by the state government administers both the temples. The act was modified in 2002 to appoint additional committee members, including Government officials and a Vice chairman. There are seventeen members in the board; three selected by the Uttaranchal Legislative Assembly, one member each by the Zilla Parishads of Garhwal, Tehri, Chamoli and Uttarkashi, and ten members nominated by the state government. As indicated in the temple records, the priests of the temple were Shiva ascetics called Dandi Sanyasis, who belonged to Nambudiri community, a religious group common in modern Kerala.

When the last of the ascetics died without an heir in 1776 AD, the king invited non-ascetic Nambudiris from Kerala for priesthood, a practice that continues in modern times. Till 1939, all the offerings made by the devotees to the temple went to the Rawal (chief priest), but after 1939, his jurisdiction was restricted to religious affairs. The administrative structure of the temple consists of a chief executive officer who executes the orders from the state government, a deputy chief executive officer, two OSDs, an executive officer, an account officer, a temple officer and a publicity officer to assist the chief executive officer.

Although Badrinath is located in North India, the head priest, or Rawal, is traditionally a Nambudiri Brahmin chosen from the South Indian state of Kerala. This tradition is believed to have been initiated by Adi Shankara, who was a South Indian philosopher. The Rawal (chief priest) is requested by the Government of Uttarakhand (Uttar Pradesh government before the formation of Uttarakhand state) to the Kerala Government. The candidate should possess a degree of Acharya in Sanskrit, be a bachelor, well-versed in reciting mantras (sacred texts) and be from the Vaishnava sect of Hinduism. The erstwhile ruler of Garhwal, who is the tutelary head of Badrinath, approves the candidate sent by the Government of Kerala. A Tilak Ceremony is held to instate the Rawal and he is deputed from April to November, when the temple remains open.

The Rawal is accorded high holiness status by Garhwal Rifles and the state governments of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. He is also held in high esteem by the Royals of Nepal. From April to November, he performs his duties as a temple priest. Thereafter, he either stays in Joshimath or returns to his native village in Kerala. The duties of the Rawal starts at 4 a.m. every day with the Abhisheka. He should not cross the river until Vamana Dwadasi and must adhere to Brahmacharya. The Rawal is assisted by the Garhwali Dimri Pundits belonging to the Village Dimmer, Nayab Rawals, Dharmadikari, Vedapathi, a group of priests, Pandas Samadhini, Bhandari, Rasoiyas (cook), devotional singer, clerk of devashram, Jal Bhariya (water keeper) and temple guards.

Badrinath is one of the few temples in North India that follow the ancient Tantra-Vidhi of Shrauta tradition more common in the south. In 2012, the temple administration introduced a token system for visitors to the temple. Tokens indicating the time of visit were provided from three stalls in the taxi stands. Each devotee to visit the presiding deity is allocated 10–20 seconds. Proof of identity is mandatory to enter the temple. The temple is reached from Rishikesh, located 298 km (185 mi) away via Dev Prayag, Rudra Prayag, Karna Prayag, Nanda Prayag, Joshimath, Vishnuprayag and Devadarshini. From Kedarnath, visitors can follow the 243 km (151 mi)-long Rudra Prayag route or the 230 km (140 mi)-long Ukhimath and Gopeshwar route.

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand – Literary Mention

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand – Literary Mention

The temple finds mention in several ancient books like Bhagavata Purana, Skanda Purana and Mahabharata. According to the Bhagavata Purana, "there in Badrikashramam the Personality of Godhead (Vishnu), in his incarnation as the sages Nar and Narayana, had been undergoing great penance since time immemorial for the welfare of all living entities". The Skanda Purana states that "there are several sacred shrines in heaven, on earth, and in hell; but there is no shrine like Badrinath". The area around Badrinath is also celebrated in Padma Purana as abounding in spiritual treasures.

The Mahabharata revered the holy place as the one which can give salvation to devotees arriving close to it, while in other holy places they must perform religious ceremonies. The temple is revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham, in 1 hymn in the 7^th – 9^th century Vaishnava canon by Periazhwar and in 21 hymns by Thirumangai Azhwar. It is one of the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Badrinath. Tirumangai Alwar the Tamil Alwar saint of the 9th century CE, mentions Badri in his work Siriya Thirumadal, and praises its glory in two decads of 10 verses each.

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand – Religious Significance

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand – Religious Significance

1. The significance of Badrinath Temple is that devotees believe that the statue of the Deity Lord Vishnu is Swayambu in nature meaning that it is self-manifested. 

2. The Badrinath Temple is a part of the Panch Badri Temples, the others being the Yog Dhyan Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Adi Badri and the Vriddha Badri. 

3. The legendary River Saraswathi originates from a glacier near Badrinath. The river joins the Alaknanda and then vanishes.

4. Moreover, the water of the hot spring Tapt Kund has medicinal values and therefore, a dip is a must to cure all ailments.

5. Also, the temple pandit or the Rawal Ji must be from the clan of Nambudiri Brahmins from Kerala.

6. The temple also comes under the Char Dham Yatra Destinations of Uttarakhand.

7. This temple is opened only six months in a year, from mid of May to the third week of November. But, it depends only upon the temple authorities. The temple is closed for next six months due to heavy snow-fall in winter.

8. The Lord is transformed from this temple to Joshimath temple for that six months when the Badrinath temple is closed. And after 6 months, he is taken back to Badrinath temple itself.

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand – Pilgrimage

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand – Pilgrimage

The Badrinath temple is one of five related shrines called Panch Badri, which are dedicated to the worship of Vishnu. The five temples are Vishal Badri - Badrinath Temple in Badrinath, Yogathyan Badri located at Pandukeshwar, Bhavishya Badri located 17 km (10.6 mi) from Jyotirmath at Subain, Vriddha Badri located 7 km (4.3 mi) from Jyotirmath in Animath and Adi Badri located 17 km (10.6 mi) from Karnaprayag. The temple is considered one of the holiest Hindu Char Dham (four divine) sites, comprising Rameswaram, Badrinath, Puri and Dwarka. 

Although the temple's origins are not clearly known, the Advaita school of Hinduism established by Adi Shankara attributes the origin of Char Dham to the seer. The four monasteries are located across the four corners of India and their attendant temples are Badrinath Temple at Badrinath in the North, Jagannath Temple at Puri in the East, Dwarakadheesh Temple at Dwarka in the West and Sri Sharada Peetam Sringeri at Sringeri, Karnataka in the South.

Though ideologically the temples are divided between the sects of Hinduism, namely Saivism and Vaishnavism, the Char Dham pilgrimage is an all-Hindu affair. There are four abodes in the Himalayas called Chota Char Dham (Chota meaning small): Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri—all of which lie in the foothills of the Himalayas. The name Chota was added during the mid of 20^th century to differentiate the original Char Dhams. As the number of pilgrims to these places has increased in modern times, it is called Himalayan Char Dham.

The journey across the four cardinal points in India is considered sacred by Hindus, who aspire to visit these temples once in their lifetimes. Traditionally, the pilgrimage starts at the eastern end from Puri, proceeding clockwise in a manner typically followed for circumambulation in Hindu temples. Devotees of all faiths and all schools of thought of Hinduism visit the Badrinath Temple. All the major monastic institutions like Kashi Math, Jeeyar Mutt (Andhra mutt), Udupi Sri Krishna Math and Mantralayam Sri Raghavendra Swamy Mutts have their branches and guest houses there.

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand – Poojas & Festivals

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand – Poojas & Festivals

The major religious activities (or pujas) performed every morning are Mahabishekam (ablution), abhishek, gitapath and Bhagavat puja, while in the evening the pujas include geet govinda and aarti. Recital in Vedic scripts like Stotram and Sahasranama is practiced during all the rituals. After aarti, the decorations are removed from the image of Badrinath and sandalwood paste is applied to it. The paste from the image is given to the devotees the next day as prasad during the Nirmalya darshan. All the rituals are performed in front of the devotees, unlike those in some Hindu temples, where some practices are hidden from them. Sugar balls and dry leaves are the common prasad provided to the devotees. From May 2006, the practice of offering Panchamrit Prasad, prepared locally and packed in local bamboo baskets, was started.

The temple is closed for winter on the auspicious day of bhatridwityia or later during October–November. On the day of closure, Akhanda Jyothi, a lamp is lit filled with ghee to last for six months. Special pujas are performed on the day by the chief priest in the presence of pilgrims and officials of the temple. The image of Badrinath is notionally transferred during the period to the Narasimha temple at Jyotirmath, located 40 mi (64 km) away from the temple. The temple is reopened around April-May on Akshaya Tritiya, another auspicious day on the Hindu calendar. Pilgrims gather on the first day of opening of the temple after the winter to witness the Akhanda Jyothi.  The temple is one of the holy places where the Hindus offer oblations to ancestors with the help of the priests. Devotees visit the temple to worship in front of the image of Badrinath in the sanctum and have a holy dip in Alaknanda River. The general belief is that a dip in the tank purifies the soul.

Poojas:

Shrimad Bhagwat Saptha Path:

It is a special pooja which the temple performs on request. This pooja continues for seven days and is in honour of Lord Krishna. There are 18000 mantras in the Shrimad Bhagwat Katha. A Yagna is performed on the last day of the Pooja. Moreover, devotees believe that by doing this Pooja, one gets rid of fear and misfortune in life.

Vishnu Sahasranamam:

It is a prayer consisting of the 1000 names of Lord Vishnu, each signifying the different attributes of Lord Vishnu.

Ved Path:

A recitation of verses from the four Vedas – Rig, Sam, Yajur, and Atharva.

Geeta Path:

During this, the complete recital of the Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta takes place in front of the deity.

Akhanda Jyoti:

The temple is not for pilgrims on Vijayadasami. On the last day, the priests light a lamp with a special ghee mixture brought from the Mana village. Moreover, this lamp is luminous for six months.

Worship Protocol:

Though this shrine is located in the northern most part of India, the Chief Priest Ravalji–of Keralite (Namboodri) origins - performs the rituals. Procedures of daily poojas and rituals are supposed to have been prescribed by Adi Sankara. Unlike in most of the Hindu temples all the poojas (including decoration of idols) are performed before the eyes of all devotees.

Temple rituals begin at 7 a.m.

Nimalyan Darshan: 

Chandan (sandalwood paste) left on the image of Badrinarayan from the previous night, is removed to enable devotees to have full view of the image.

Abhishek Darshan:

Process begins with Kalsa Pooja. Abishekam (ablution) is then carried out in the presence of pilgrims.

Alankar Darshan:

After Abhishekam, the decoration process begins in the full view of devotees. Firstly, the entire idol, excluding the face, is covered with sandal paste and followed by the decoration with flowers & jewels.

Aarti Darshan: 

On completion of Alankaras, Aarathi (lighting of camphor) is held. This marks the completion of forenoon pooja rituals and will end around 11.30 am – 12.00 p.m., after which the temple is closed.

Evening Rituals:

Reopening of the temple takes place at 4.00 p.m. for commencement of evening rituals which lasts till 8.00 p.m. During this period, Ashotothram and Sahasranamam recitations take place. Around 7.30 p.m. Mangal Aarathi – called as Geetgovind takes place. On completion of aarti, the Chief Priest removes the flowers & jewels in the full glimpse of devotees. The image of Badrinarayan is now left only with sandal paste, to be removed only the next morning and distributed as prasad.

Festivals:

Badri Kedar Festival:

The Badri Kedar festival is celebrated during the month of June in both the temple and the Kedarnath temple. The festival lasts for eight days; artists from all over the country perform during the function.

Mata Murti ka Mela:

The most prominent festival held at Badrinath Temple is Mata Murti Ka Mela, which commemorates the descent of the river Ganges on mother earth. The mother of Badrinath, who is believed to have divided the river into twelve channels for the welfare of earthly beings, is worshiped during the festival. The place where the river flowed became the holy land of Badrinath.

Janmashtami:

This festival is a celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna (eighth avatar of Vishnu). It occurs in the months of either August or September. Devotees organize several processions for Lord Krishna on this day.

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand – History

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand – History

There is no historical record about the temple, but there is a mention of the presiding deity Badrinath in Vedic scriptures (c. 1750–500 BC). According to some accounts, the temple was a Buddhist shrine till the 8^th century and Adi Shankara converted it to a Hindu temple. The architecture of the temple resembling that of a Buddhist vihara (temple) and the brightly painted facade which is atypical of Buddhist temples leads to the argument. Other accounts relate that it was originally established as a pilgrimage site by Adi Shankara in the ninth century.

It is believed that Shankara resided in the place for six years from ad 814 to 820. He resided six months in Badrinath and the rest of the year in Kedarnath. Hindu followers assert that he discovered the image of Badrinath in the Alaknanda River and enshrined it in a cave near the Tapt Kund hot springs. A traditional story asserts that Shankara expelled all the Buddhists in the region with the help of the Parmar ruler king Kanak Pal. The hereditary successors of the king governed the temple and endowed villages to meet its expenses.

The income from a set of villages on the route to the temple was used to feed and accommodate pilgrims. The Parmar rulers held the title "Bolanda Badrinath", meaning speaking Badrinath. They had other titles, including Shri 108 Basdrishcharyaparayan Garharaj Mahimahendra, Dharmabibhab and Dharamarakshak Sigamani. The throne of Badrinath was named after the presiding deity; the king enjoyed ritual obeisance by the devotees before proceeding to the shrine. The practice was continued until the late 19^th century.

During the 16th century, the King of Garhwal moved the Murti to the present temple. When the state of Garhwal was divided, the Badrinath temple came under British rule but the king of Garhwal continued as the chairman of the management committee. The temple has undergone several major renovations due to its age and damage by an avalanche. In the 17^th century, the temple was expanded by the Kings of Garhwal. After significant damage in the great 1803 Himalayan earthquake, it was largely rebuilt by the King of Jaipur. It was still under renovation as late as the 1870s but these were completed by the time of the First World War. 

At that time, the town was still small, consisting of only the 20-odd huts housing the temple's staff, but the number of pilgrims was usually between seven and ten thousand. The Kumbha Mela festival held every twelve years raised the number of visitors to 50,000. The temple also enjoyed revenue from the rents owed to it by various villages bequeathed by various rajas. During 2006, the state government announced the area around Badrinath as a no construction zone to curb illegal encroachment.

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand – Legends

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand – Legends

Badrika Ashram:

According to Hindu legend, god Vishnu sat in meditation at this place. During his meditation, Vishnu was unaware of cold weather. Lakshmi, his consort, protected him in the form of the Badri tree (jujube or Indian date). Pleased by the devotion of Lakshmi, Vishnu named the place Badrika Ashram. This place used to be a jujube forest, which are not found there today.

Badri Vishal:

The Vishnu Purana narrates another version of the origins of Badrinath. According to the tradition, Dharam had two sons, Nar and Narayan - both of which are modern names of Himalayan mountains. They chose the place to spread their religion and each of them wed the spacious valleys in the Himalayas. Searching for an ideal place to set up a hermitage, they came across the other four Badris of the Pancha Badri, namely Bridha Badri, Yog Badri, Dhyan Badri and Bhavish Badri. They finally found the hot and cold spring behind the Alaknanda River and named it Badri Vishal.

Association with Narada Rishi:

Legend has it that Lord Vishnu identified Nar & Narayan forms to be of his own to Narada Rishi. Narada Rishi did his penance here and is believed to be worshipping these forms of supreme God with the Astakshara mantra even now. It is also believed that Narada attained salvation atop the Narada Shila located at Badrinath. 

Association with Adi Shankara:

According to Skandapuranam, Adi Shankara found a black statue of Vishnu lying on the banks of Narada Kund. He established it in a cave near the Tapt Kund which later became famous as the Badrinath Temple.

Lord Vishnu, in the form of Kid cried to take this place from Lord Shiva:

According to a legend, Lord Shiva initially chose this place for his Tapasya, but Lord Vishnu wanted the place to himself. So, he took the form of a little boy and cried lying down on the rock. Both Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati could not console him. Eventually on Parvati’s insistence, Lord Shiva left to Kedarnath to do his Tapasya.

Sages performed penance here:

Sages Kapila, Gautama and Kashyapa also did penance here.

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand – The Temple

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand – The Temple

The temple is located in Garhwal hill tracks along the banks of the Alaknanda River in Chamoli district in Uttarakhand, a state in North India. The hill tracks are located 3,133 m (10,279 ft.) above the mean sea level. The Nar Parbat mountain is located opposite to the temple, while the Narayana Parbat is located behind the Neelakanta peak. The temple has three structures: 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 top, covered with a gold gilt roof. The facade is built of stone and has arched windows. 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, or main shrine area. The walls and pillars of the hall are covered with intricate carvings.

The main shrine houses the 1 m (3.3 ft.) Shaligram (black stone) idol of Lord Badrinarayan, which is housed in a gold canopy under a Badri Tree. The idol of Lord Badrinarayan shows him holding a Shankha (conch) and a Chakra (wheel) in two of His arms in a lifted posture and the other two arms resting on his lap in a Yogamudra (Padmasana) posture. He is in sitting posture facing east. The sanctum also houses images of the god of wealth – Kubera, sage Narada, Uddhava, Nar and Narayan. Vimana over the sanctum is called as Tapta Kanjana Vimaanam. 

Mahalakshmi, also known as Aravindhavalli is housed in a separate shrine in the southern courtyard. There are fifteen more images that are also worshipped around the temple. These include that of Lakshmi (the consort of Vishnu), Garuda (the vahana of Narayan), and Navadurga, the manifestation of Durga in nine different forms. The temple also has shrines of Lakshmi Narasimhar and for saints Adi Shankara (ad 788-820), Nar and Narayan, Ghantakarna, Vedanta Desika and Ramanujacharya. All the idols of the temple are made of black stone.

The Tapt Kund, a group of hot Sulphur springs just below the temple, are considered to be medicinal; many pilgrims consider it a requirement to bathe in the springs before visiting the temple. The springs have a year-round temperature of 55 °C (131 °F), while outside temperature is typically below 17 °C (63 °F) all year round. The two water ponds in the temple are called Narad Kund and Surya Kund.

There is a big rock by name Brahma Gopalam on the north side of the temple is found in the banks of Ganga river. It is believed that if we dedicated Pindam (a ball made of rice) here for our forefathers, the next 14 generations people are said to go to heaven and Moksha. And thereafter, if one performs this, there is no need to do the Shrardham from then. Sthala Viruksham is Badri Viruksham (Date tree).

The route to Badrinath 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 Badrinath there are numerous pilgrimage sites at Deo Prayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, Nandaprayag and Vishnuprayag; as well as Pandukeshwar 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.