THE BADRINATH OR BADRINARAYAN TEMPLE IN (UTTARAKHAND) INDIA
About Badrinath Temple ::- Badrinath Or Badrinarayan Temple Is A Hindu Temple Dedicated To Vishnu Which Is Situated In The Town Of Badrinath In Uttarakhand, India. The Temple Is Also One Of the 108 Divya Desams Dedicated To Vishnu, Who Is Worshipped As Badrinath- Holy Shrines For Vaishnavites. It Is Open For Six Months Every Year ( Between The End Of April And The Beginning Of November) Because Of Extreme Weather Conditions In The Himalayan Region. The Temple Is Located In Garhwal Hill Tracks In Chamoli District Along The Banks Of Alakananda River.
The Temple Is Mentioned In Ancient Religious Texts Like Vishnu Purana And Skanda Purana. It Is Glorified In The Divya Prabandha, An Early Medieval Tamil Canon Of The Azhwar Saints From The 6th- 9th Centuries AD. It Is One Of The Most Visited Pilgrimage Centers Of India, Having Recorded 1,060,000 Visits. The Hill Tracts Are Located 3,133 m (10,279 ft) Above The Mean Sea Level. The Nar Parbat Mountain Is Located Opposite To The Temple, While The Narayan Parbat Is Located behind The Neelkanth Peak.
the Temple Has Three Structures :: The Garbhagriha(Sanctum), The darshan Mandap (worship Hall) And Sabha Mandap (Convention Hall). The Conical- Shaped Roof Of The Sanctum, The Garbhagriha, Is Approximately 15m (49 Ft) Tall With A Small Cupola On Top, Covered With A Gold Gift Roof. The Facade Is Built Of Stone And Has Arched Windows. A Board Stairway Leads Up To the Main Entrance, A Tall Arched Gateway. Just Inside Is A Mandap, A Large Pillared Hall That Leads To The Sanctum Or Main Shire Area. The Walls And Pillars Of The Hall Are Covered With Intricate Carvings.
There Is Historical Record About The Temple, But There Is A mention Of The Presiding Deity Badrinath Is Vedic Scriptures(1750 -500 BC). According To The Accounts, the Shrine Was Worshiped In Some Form In The First Tirthankara Adinatha As Lord Vishnu In The Temple. Later During Ashoka's Reign, Because Of the Spread Of Buddhism, This Shrine Might've Gotten Converted Into A Buddhist Shrine. The Temple Was A Buddhist Shrine Till The 8th Century And Adi Shankara Revived the Shrine And Converted It To A Hindu Temple. The Architecture Of The Temple Resembling That Of A Buddist Vihara( Temple) And The Brightly painted Facade Which Is Atypical Of Buddhist Temples Leads To The Argument.
Badrinath Temple Is One Of The Four Char Dham Pilgrimage Sites In India. Char Dham Pilgrimage Sites Are located In All Four Directions Of India. Badrinath Temple Is Located In The Northern Part Of India. Badrinath temple Also Forms One Of The Four Chota Char Dham Pilgrimage Sites In Uttarakhand. The Other Three Sites Are Gangotri, Yamunotri And Kedarnath. It Is Also A Part Of One Of The Panch Badri Temples Dedicated To Lord Vishnu. Badrinath Temple Is The Only Temple Among The four Char Dham Pilgrimage Sites Which Is Situated In The Himalayas And Surrounded By Snow- Clad mountains.
How To Go ::- Badrinath Is Well Connected by Motorable Roads With Major Destinations Of Uttarakhand State Like Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Pauri, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, Ukhimath, Srinagar, Chamoli Etc. The Nearest Railway Station Is Rishikesh Which Is Situated 295 Km From Badrinath. Nearest Airport Is Jolly Grant Airport Which Is Situated 314 km Distance Of Badrinath.
