Badrinath

State of: Uttarakhand

Main languages: Hindi

 

History:

 

Located in the nagar panchayat of Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, the town of Badrinath is one of the holy pilgrimage locations in India. The area around Badrinath has been referred to as Badari or Badarikasram in scriptures. The town is considered to be the sacred place of Lord Vishnu. Addresses of the dual form of the Lord Vishnu have been mentioned in the Mahabharata. There is also the legend that the river Ganga was asked to descend on earth to help the tortured humanity. One of the 12 holy channels of the Ganges, the Alaknanda is here. As per the local legends, the Pandavas had also passed through Badrinath for their heavenly ascent. The town and its adjoining area are also celebrated in the Padma Purana. Many scholars have written their holy texts in this heavenly town. 

 

Geography:

 

The town of Badrinath is located in the Garhwal hills. It is located at the banks of the river Alaknanda at an elevation of 3133m. Badrinath lies between the Nar and the Narayana mountains amidst the shadow of the Nilkantha peak. It lies 301 km away from Rishikesh and 233 km from Gaurikhand which is near Kedarnath.

 

Demography:

 

As per the 2001 census the population of Badrinath was 841. The percentile for men was 65 while the percentile for women was 35. The literacy rate was 85% which is much above the national average. About 9% of the populations are children under the age of 9.

 

Climate:

 

Badrinath experiences a pleasant climate during the summer months. The winters are freezing with snowfall and often the routes have to be shut due to the same. Summer months are the best time to visit this holy town.

 

Tourism and Pilgrimage:

 

The town of Badrinath is frequented by millions of Hindu tourists for religious purposes. It also welcomes thousands of tourists from all over the world to enjoy the breathtaking views of these hills. Badrinath is one of the four 'Dham' sites of India. Adi Shankara developed Badrinath as a pilgrimage site in the 9th century. The Badari is also used to refer to the berry which grows in these areas. The goddess Lakshmi is told to reside in the Jujube trees that grow here. The temple of Badrinath was made after a black stone image of the Lord Vishnu, also known as Saligram, had been found on the river banks. The temple has been renovated a number of times since then. Another adjoining religious site is the Hemkund Sahib which is an important Sikh pilgrimage site. The best time to visit the town is June to September.

 

 

Transportation:

 

Nearest airport from Badrinath is the Jolly Grant Airport near Dehradun which is about 317 km away. Nearby railway stations are Haridwar and Rishikesh. There are regular buses from both these cities and Delhi, which ply to this town regularly. The road permits cars to drive up right to the temple. Frequent helicopter services also operate from Delhi and Rishikesh in peak seasons.