Badrinath

The Badrinath Temple also known as the Badrinarayan Temple, located in Uttarakhand's Badrinath town, is one of the four Char Dhams (four important pilgrimages) in the state. There are four pilgrim-destinations namely Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath, collectively known as Char Dham. These pilgrimage centres draw large number of pilgrims each year, thus becoming the most important hubs of religious travel in the whole of Northern India.

Badrinath is located at an elevation of around 3,100 m. Located in the Garhwal Himalayas, on the banks of the Alaknanda river, this sacred town lies between Nar and Narayana mountain ranges. The temple is believed to have been established by sage Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century. With Lord Vishnu as its presiding deity, the temple remains open for six months in a year. In winter it becomes inaccessible due to heavy snowfall.

History About Badrinath
The Badrinath tirtha derives its name from the native word Badri, which refers to a variety of wild berry. Badrinath temple history has its own uniqueness and Legendaryness. There are a lot of tales about Badrinath temple. It is stated that when Lord Vishnu sat in penance in these mountains, His spouse Goddess Laxmi took the appearance of a berry tree and shielded Him from the fierce sun. It is not only the Lord's dwelling place, but also the abode of countless pilgrims, saints, and sages who come to meditate in search of enlightenment.

According to SkandPuran the idol of Lord Badrinath was recovered by Adiguru Shankaracharya from NaradKund and was re-enshrined in the 8th century A.D. in this temple. Skanda Purana describes more about the place and says: “There are several sacred shrines in heaven, on earth, and in hell; but there is no shrine like Badrinath.” In the history of Badrinath, the sages Nara and Narayana, the ‘fifth avatar of Lord Vishnu’, practised penance in the temple, according to the Vamana Purana. The religious narratives from several ancient Hindu scriptures abound in Badrinath. According to mythic, Badrinath is often called as Badri Vishal, and was a place of pilgrimage for Hindus.

BEST TIME TO VISIT
The ideal time to visit Badrinath Temple is from May to October. The temple is closed from October/ November, and is reopened around April.