| Badrinath | |
| State - District(s) | Uttaranchal - Chamoli |
| Coordinates | |
| Area - Elevation | 3 km² - 3133 m |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Population (2001) - Density | 841 - |
Badrinath is a Hindu holy town and a nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state of Uttaranchal, India. Badrinath is the most important of the four sites in India's Char Dham pilgrimage. Badrinath is in the Garhwal hills, on the banks of the Alaknanda River, at an elevation of 3133 m.
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Badrinath was established as a major pilgrimage site by Adi Shankara in the ninth century. Since then, its popularity has increased significantly, with an estimated 600,000 pilgrims visiting during the 2006 season.<ref>The Hindu newspaper, November 17, 2006</ref> The temple in Badrinath is also a sacred pilgrimage site for Vaishnavites.
Badrinath has been mentioned as a holy place in various scriptures and legends for thousands of years. According to the Srimad Bhagavatam, "There in Badrikashram the Personality of Godhead (Vishnu), in his incarnation as the sages Nara and Narayana, had been undergoing great penance since time immemorial for the welfare of all living entities." (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.4.22) Badri refers to a berry that was said to grow abundantly in the area, and nath refers to Vishnu. Legend has it that Goddess Lakshmi took the form of the berries to protect Lord Vishnu from the harsh climate during his long penance.
Badrinath has also been eulogised as Bhu Vaikunta or earthly abode of Lord Vishnu. Many religious scholars such as Ramanujacharya, Madhawacharya and Vedanta Desika visited Badrinath and wrote sacred texts, such as commentaries on Brahmasutras and other Upanishads.
The most visited site in the town of Badrinath is the Badrinath temple. The temple was built in the ninth century by Adi Shankara. Since then, it has undergone several major renovations, due to damage by avalanche.<ref>Randhir Prakashan, The Holy Places of Uttarakhand Yatra</ref> The temple now has a modern looking, colorful front, atypical of Hindu temples. Several murtis are worshipped in the temple. The most important is a one meter tall black stone image of Vishnu, as Lord Badri Narayan. The statue depicts Vishnu sitting in meditative posture, rather than His far more typical reclining pose.
One legend has it that when the goddess Ganga was requested to descend to earth to help suffering humanity, the earth was unable to withstand the force of her descent. Therefore the mighty Ganga was split into twelve holy channels, with Alaknanda one of them. It later became the abode of Lord Vishnu or Badrinath.
The mountains around Badrinath are mentioned in the Mahabharata, when the Pandavas are said to have ended their life by ascending the slopes of a peak in western Garhwal called Swargarohini - literally, the 'Ascent to Heaven'. Local legend has it that the Pandavas passed through Badrinath and the town of Mana, 4 km north of Badrinath, on their way to Swargarohini. There is also a cave in Mana where Vyas, according to local legend, wrote the Mahabharata.
According to the Skanda Purana: “There are several sacred shrines in heaven, on earth, and in hell; but there is no shrine like Badrinath.”
Image:Badrinath.JPGLocated only a few kilometers from the Indo-China (Tibet) border, Badrinath is generally a two-day-long journey from either Kedarnath, the site that precedes it in the Char Dham circuit, or one of the main disembarkation points on the plains. Hemkund Sahib, an important Sikh pilgrimage site, is on the way to Badrinath, so the road is especially crowded during the summer pilgrimage season. The temple and its substantial surrounding village are accessible by road.
There is a hot spring near the temple, and many saints live in the surrounding mountains all year round despite the harsh winter at such high elevations.
The northern math established by Adi Sankara is nearby at Jyotirmath.
The best time to visit Badrinath is between June and September. Warm clothes are recommended all year.
The nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport near Dehradun, about 317 km from Badrinath. The nearest railway stations to Badrinath are at Rishikesh and Kotdwar, which are at a distance of 297 km and 327 km respectively. There are regular buses operating to Badrinath, from New Delhi, Haridwar and Rishikesh.
As of 2001 India censusGRIndia, Badrinathpuri had a population of 841. Males constitute 65% of the population and females 35%. Badrinathpuri has an average literacy rate of 85%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 70% of the males and 30% of females literate. 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.
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| Hindu Holy Cities in India | Image:Aum.svg |
|---|---|
| Allahabad • Ayodhya • Badrinath • Dharmasthala • Dwarka • Gaya • Guruvayur • Haridwar • Hrishikesh • Kalahasti • Kanchipuram • Kedarnath • Kollur • Mathura • Mayapur • Nashik • Nathdwara • Puri • Rameswaram • Sabarimala • Somnath • Sringeri • Srirangam • Tirumala - Tirupati • Ujjain • Varanasi • Vrindavan |
