As the old Indian proverb goes, "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." Indians, known for
their religious fervour, lay special importance to this holy town of
Badrinath. The etymological root for the name of the town goes to the Badri
Van, where the lush green Badri trees grow. According to a local myth, the
word badri is derived from the wild berry that Lord Vishnu (God of the Hindu
trinity, entrusted with preserving the Universe) survived on during his
reparation at Badri Van.
BEST TIME TO VISITSituated
on the banks of the river Alakananda in the north Indian state of
Uttaranchal, Badrinath is couched within the two mountain ranges of Nar and
Narayan, with the Neelkanth peak on the background. This breathtaking sight
is itself an enchantment for tourists and is called the "Garhwal Queen."
It is located in the northern district of Chamoli and the nearest cities are
Rishikesh (300 km), Mussourie and Dehradun. It is never too hot even in the
summers, with night temperatures falling to as low as 10°C. This makes
it a pleasant retreat from the other tropical places in the country.
BADRINATH
SIGHTSEEING An important pilgrimage centre in India, pilgrims and
tourists flock to the temple of Badrinath, which was built by Adiguru
Shankaracharya in the early ninth century AD. This acclaimed abode of Lord
Vishnu is one of North India's "Four Holy Temple Cities" or dhams
along with Puri, Rameswaram and Dwaraka. Badrinath is also known as
Tapobhumi (land of meditation and penance) and Bhubaikunth (heaven on
earth). It is situated at an altitude of 3133 meters above sea level.
Besides the main temple itself, the entrance to the shrine is of special
significance. The temple of Badrinathji remains closed from October to April
due to the winter snow, when temperatures fall to sub-zero degrees.
Before
entering the temple itself, the pilgrims take a holy dip in the Tapt Kund,
where there are thermal springs with natural curative properties. It is
supposed to be the abode of Agni, the Hindu God of fire. Other famous
natural spring sites are Narad Kund and Surya Kund.
The
pilgrims generally perform the rites of remembrance and reverence for the
departed souls of their near ones in the Brahma Kapal, a flat platform on
the banks of the river Alakananda. A rock boulder with the impression of
Sheshnag, a mythological serpent, called Sheshnetra, is also a place to
visit. The footprints of Lord Vishnu are present on a boulder called
Charanpaduka, and are of religious significance. Another important temple is
the Mata Murti temple, dedicated to the mother of Badrinathji.
The
origin of Alakananda River, Alka Puri, is of special interest to the daring
tourists. Satopanth, a triangular lake, is located at a height of 4402
meters above the sea level and is one of the sources of the Alakananda
River. It is named after the Hindu trinity-Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord
Shiva.
At the convergence of the rivers, there are pilgrim sites
that are collectively called the Panch Prayag. Devprayag, at the confluence
of Bhagirathi and Alakananda, is famous for its rock inscriptions and the
temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and Raghunath. Rudraprayag, at the meeting
point of Alakananda and Mandakani, is known for the Rudranath and Chamunda
Devi temples. Nandaprayag is known for the Gopalji temple. Karnaprayag is
the confluence of Alakananda and Pindar rivers and is famous for its temples
dedicated to Uma and Karna. The fifth pilgrimage spot is Vishnuprayag, at
the confluence of Alakananda and Dhauliganga, where there is a very ancient
temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, besides the pool of Vishnu Kund.
Another
pilgrim site is the Panch Badri. Yogadhyan Badri, where there is a
meditative idol of Lord Vishnu, Bhavishya Badri, where there are forests
nearby, Adi Badri, where there are 16 temples and one big temple of Lord
Vishnu, are three of the most famous.
HOW TO
REACH The nearest airport is that of Jolly Grant, which is about
317 km from Badrinath. Helicopters and small private airlines are allowed to
land there. The nearest railheads are Rishikesh (297 km) and Kotdwar (327
km). Badrinath is well connected to all the major tourist spots nearby -
Rishikesh, Hardwar, Kotdwar, Dehradun and other hill retreats of the Garhwal
and Kumaon region. Delhi is 238 km from Rishikesh.
PRECAUTIONS
All tourists should be careful of cheats in the form of seers and
saints. They usually dupe the tourists with both their money and other
belongings. One should always keep an eye out for the frauds, who also
exploit the religious and spiritual sentiments of the visitors for immoral
motives.
