DESTINATIONS
Badrinath
Badrinath is one of the most popular religious towns of the Hindus located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand in India. Badrinath is the most important of all the four (Char) Dhams in India. The town of Badrinath lies between Nar and Naryana mountain ranges and in the shadow of the mighty Nilkantha peak, 301 km north of Rishikesh . The town is located at an elevation of 3,133mts above sea level on the left bank of Alakananda River.

Badrinath Kapat Opening: The kapat of Shri Badarinath Temple will be opened on 26 April 2015. Badrinath Closing date: Badrinath temple Closing date will updated soon.

Badrinath History and Legend

According to legend, the temple was originally established by Adi Shankaracharya which was renovated several times after its establishment. Badrinath is also one of the Panch Badris. The other four badris are Yogadhyan Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Bridha Badri or the 'Old Badri' and Adi Badri. The Badrinath area is known as Badari or Badarikaashram in Hindu scriptures. It is a place sacred to Vishnu, particularly in Vishnu's dual form of Nara-Narayana. Thus, in the Mahabharata, Krishna, addressing Arjuna, says, "Thou wast Nara in a former body, and, with Narayana for thy companion, didst perform dreadful austerity at Badari for many myriads of years." One legend has it that when goddess Ganga was requested to descend to earth to help the suffering humanity, the earth was unable to withstand the force of her descent. Therefore the mighty Ganga (Ganges) was split into twelve holy channels, with Alaknanda being one of them. The mountains around Badrinath are mentioned in the Mahabharata, where 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 Swarga (heaven). There is also a cave in Mana where  the great sage Ved Vyasa is believed to have written the epic Mahabharata. Badrinath Pilgrimage Travel Destination The main attraction of Badrinath is the Badrinath temple also known as the Badrinarayan temple. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is also one of the 108 Divya Desams or holy shrines of Vaishnavities. The present temple is conical in shape built two centuries ago by the Garhwal kings. 15 idols are present in the temple complex, each built in black stone. Lord Vishnu is represented here in a meditative posture and is flanked by Nar and Narayan.

Some of the other attractions of Badrinath include the Tapt Kund a natural thermal spring on the banks of the Alakananda. It is believed that the water of this kund has medicinal properties. Neelkanth is another prime attraction of Badrinath which is a snow-covered peak of Badrinath. You can also visit the Panch Prayag i.e. Devprayag , Rudraprayag , Nandprayag, Karnaprayag, Vishnuprayag; from Badrinath. You can also visit the Mata Murthi temple which is dedicated to the mother of Sri Badrinathji. At a distance of 3km from Badrinath is the Mana village popularly known as the last village of India, inhabited by people of  Indo-Mongolian tribe.Badrinath Weather - Badrinath Seasons- Best Time to Visit
  • Badrianth Summers (March to June): are very pleasant with moderate climate, with average temperature around 18 C. Summers are ideal for sight seeing and pilgrimage.
  • Badrianth Monsoons (July to October): are accompanied with scanty rains and also temperature drops down to 15°C.
  • Badrianth Winters (November to February): are chilly days with average temperature being near 5°C. Minimum can touch sub zero levels and snowfall is seen very often during winters. These months are perfect for travellers who like chilly weather.

Best Time to visit: The ideal time or peak season to go to Badrinath or on a Char Dham Yatra is from May to October, except monsoons as the roads are prone to frequent landslides.