Badrinath Temple (Uttarakhand)

 

📍 Location

• Situated in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand

• On the banks of the Alaknanda River, at an altitude of ~3,300 meters in the Himalayas

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🙏 Deity

• Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, worshipped here as Badri Narayan

• Idol: 1-meter black stone (Shaligram) statue of Vishnu in a meditative posture

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🌟 Religious Importance

• Part of the Char Dham Yatra (Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri, Rameswaram)

• Also one of the Chota Char Dham of Uttarakhand (Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath)

• Considered one of the 108 Divya Desams (sacred Vishnu temples)

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🏛️ Architecture

• Traditional Garbhagriha (sanctum), Darshan Mandap, Sabha Mandap

• Brightly painted façade with a large arched gateway

• Surrounded by snow-clad Himalayan peaks

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📖 Mythology

• Legend says Lord Vishnu meditated here while Goddess Lakshmi protected him as a Badri tree (berry tree), hence the name Badrinath.

• Mentioned in Skanda Purana and Mahabharata.

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🚩 Pilgrimage

• Temple opens in April/May (Akshaya Tritiya) and closes in October/November (Diwali) due to heavy snowfall.

• During winter, the idol is shifted to Narasingh Temple (Joshimath).

• Lakhs of devotees visit every year as part of the Char Dham Yatra.