Badrinath Temple- India & Uttarakhand Char Dham

Dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is situated in the small holy town of Badrinath in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.

The Badrinath temple also called as the Badrinarayan temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is situated in the small holy town of Badrinath in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. It is also one of the five Panch Badris. The other four are – Adi Badri at Karnaprayag, Bhavishya Badri near Joshimath, Vridha Badri at Animath in Chamoli and Yogdhyan Badri at Pandukeshwar near Badrinath. Like the Panch Kedars which is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Panch Badris are dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is one of the most revered and most visited temples in India.

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Bhoo-Baikunth Dham is part of the Chota Char Dham Yatra or the Himalayan Char Dham Yatra comprising of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri. It is also one of the four Char Dhams situated in the four different corners of our country – Badrinath in North, Jagannath temple Puri in East, Rameshwaram in South and Dwarka in the West. The Char Dham Yatra is considered very sacred and most wish to visit all the four temples at least once in their lifetimes. The pilgrimage usually starts at the Jagannath temple at Puri in the East and proceeds in a clockwise manner ending at Badrinath.

Legends and History of Badrinath Temple

According to the ancient Puranas Badrinath is considered as the most sacred shrine in all of heaven, hell and earth(Teen Lok). The whole Badrinath town is also considered as a very spiritual place because it is considered that the Gods had chosen this place for their meditation. According to legends, when God Vishnu was in meditation at Badrinath, then Goddess lakshmi took the form of a tree to protect Him from the harsh weather. Hence Goddess Lakshmi came to be called as the “Badri Vishal” or the large tree. Therefore Lord Vishnu is called as the “Badrinath” here, meaning one who is the Badri’s husband. Vishnu in the form of Badrinath can be seen in the statue inside the temple, sitting in the Padmasana posture.

There are many other legends and stories associated with the Badrinath temple and it is also believed that the Pandavas ended their lives here and went into Swarg after crossing Badrinath. In the 9^th century AD, Guru Adi Shankracharya established Badrinath as a famous pilgrimage centre and people have since then been visiting this holy place in huge numbers. There are many Ashrams and Dharamshalas of various Hindu sects which are present here providing cheap and convenient stay options for spiritual seekers. Many Saints and spiritual gurus come here and stay for a very long time for meditation and their spiritual practices.

Char Dham Opening & Closing Dates 2026

Yamunotri Temple

Gangotri Temple

Kedarnath Temple

Badrinath Temple

Yamunotri Temple

Gangotri Temple

Kedarnath Temple

Badrinath Temple

Location of Badrinath Temple

Badridham is located in the Chamoli district and is situated along the banks of Alaknanda River. The temple is 298 kms by road from Rishikesh and can be reached directly by the National Highway from Rishikesh. The temple is at a height of 3,133 m (10,279 ft) above the mean sea level. The Nar Parbat and the Narayana Parbat are easily visible form the temple along with the mighty Neelkantha Mountain. Near the temple is a natural hot water spring which has medicinal properties mainly due to the sulphur dissolved in it. This is called as the Tapt Kund by the locals and provides water above 55 degree celsius throughout the year even when the weather is very cold .Having a dip in this hot water is considered sacred and beneficial and is believed to purify one’s body and soul.

Religious Tourism at Badrinath –

The temple usually opens in mid-April and is closed in November before the onset of severe winter months. In winter, the God badrinath’s doli is taken to the Narsingh temple at Joshimath. At a distance of about 3 kms from the main temple is Charanpaduka or the place where the imprints of Lord Vishnu’s feet can be seen. It may take an hour to reach there as the lanes leading up to the place are very steep and narrow. At the Charanpaduka is a black rock and a signboard describing the story associated with the place.

Nearby places to visit in Badarinath Dham

Mata Murti Mandir, Brahma-Kapal and Sheshnetra are some other temples visited here. Mata Murti Temple – is the temple of the Mother of the twins -Nar and Narayan. A famous fair is held every year in September at the temple on the day of Shravan Dwadashi.

Brahma Kapal is situated at the banks of Alaknanda river near the temple. Hindus perform pind daan here for their ancestors. Also visited near the temple is the Sesh Nag. It is a large rock which looks like the mythological snake- Sesh Nag. According to mythology, Lord Vishnu took rest on the Sesh Nag, which is also considered as His bed.

One can visit Vasundhara falls or the village of Mana – which is the last village of India, before the border of China. One can also plan a trip to the Valley of flowers or to Auli – which is a preferred destination during winters. Some famous treks from Badrinath can also be done like- the Satopanth Trek and the Mana pass trek.

Ceremony and Puja of Badrinath Temple

During all the Puja and ceremonies in the temple, recital in vedic scripts is done. Hearing to the mantras and recitals is very soothing for the soul and can give one goosebumps. The sandalwood paste is applied to the Lord Vishnu after the Aarti which is also given to the devotees the next day to apply on their foreheads. Sandalwood paste has cooling properties and is believed to keep one cool headed. Also not to be missed is the tasty Panchamrit Prasad offered to devotees in small and cute bamboo baskets. During the winter months an Akhanda Jyothi or a lamp is lit. Sufficient amount of ghee is poured in to it to last for 6 months while the temple is closed.Pilgrims gather on the first day of opening of the temple after the winters to have a glimpse of this Akhanda Jyothi.

Why one must visit Badrinath Dham

We have a famous saying here -”A year-long penance in Badrinath equals thousand years of meditation“. It is said that Lord Vishnu did penance at Badrinath after he killed Sahasrkavach (the one with thousand armors). Badrinath temple is regarded as the holiest temple in our country. It is not only the most visited but also the most revered among all Hindus. Even our ancient texts have held this place in a very high esteem and have mentioned it at many places. It has been written in our texts that neither there is any other place like Badrinath nor will there be any other place like it in all the three “Loks”. It is widely believed that Adi Shankracharya found the black stone idol of Lord Vishnu from the river Alaknanda. The idol of Lord Vishnu worshipped here is not man made and has been created by Mother Nature.

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The Chief Priest even today is appointed from the Bramhin priests of Kerala upon recommendation of the royal family of Travancore. The close link between the extreme North and South of India is a must watch for any traveller here. The location of the temple between Nar and Narayan mountains and the gushing Alaknanda is simply perfect. The mighty snow covered Neelkantha at the background is as majestic and beautiful as one can imagine. The sight of the first rays of sun on the Neelkantha’s peak is a must watch. Visitors can also shop for cheap and good quality woolens, shawls and blankets made of pure sheep wool.

In conclusion, I would say that a visit to Badrinath must be on the bucket list of every travel enthusiast and every religious traveller.

Contact for planning your trip -

So when are you planning your trip for the divine Darshan of Lord Badrinath temple? Feel free to write to me if you are interested in more information about the treks.