Badrinath Temple or Badrinarayan temple, having a great religious significance is situated on the banks of Alaknanda river in Chamoli district of state Uttarakhand, India.
The temple is on the foothills of the Garhwal Himalayan range. Badrinath Dham is one out of holy four Dhams (Char-Dham) in Uttarakhand. Others are namely Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.
It is one the most famous Hindu temples of Bhagwan Vishnu in the whole world. Badrinath temple is a part of Panch-Badri along with Yog Dhyan Badri, Adi Badri, Bhavisya Badri and Vriddha Badri. The temple is situated between two hills of Himalaya named Nar and Narayan.
Geographic Features of Badrinath Temple:
| Location | Chamoli District, Uttarakhand |
| Elevation | 3130 meters |
| Temperature | Less than 0 degree Celsius during November to March |
| Best time to Visit | April to November |
Badrinath temple is usually closed for six months during winters due to heavy snowfall in the Himalayan region. In April, doors of Badrinath temple are opened up to November.
Mythology of Badrinath Temple:
Badrinath name came from Badri tree or Jujube tree. Mythological stories suggest that once a sage saw that Maa Laxmi (wife of Bhagwaan Vishnu) was massaging Bhagwan Vishnu’s feet. Sage thought that he is insulting a woman by doing such an act for his physical pleasure.
So he punished Vishnu and ordered him to go to Himalayas and meditate. So Vishnu came to Himalayas and meditated here and Maa Laxmi protected him from meat eating monks in the form of Badri tree.
According to “Vishnu Puran” Nar and Narayan were two brothers. They chose to spread religious values in the valleys of Himalaya and the came across to find cold and hot spring in Vishal Badri.
Badrinath Temple Opening & Closing Date 2024:
| Opening Date | 12 May 2024 at 6:15 AM |
| Closing Date | 03 November 2024 at 2:35 PM |
Badrinath Dham Route From Delhi:
Delhi ——> Haridwar ——> Rishikesh ——> Devprayag ——> Kirtinagar ——> Srinagar ——> Rudraprayag ——> Gauchar ——> Karnaprayag ——> Nandprayag ——> Chamoli ——> Birahi ——> Pipalkoti ——> Garur Ganga ——> Helang ——> Joshimath ——> Vishnuprayag ——> Govindghat ——> Pandukeshwar ——> Hanumanchatti ——> Badarinath
What to see in Badrinath Dham:
Architectural Beauty of the Temple:
Badrinath temple is an amazing example of ancient Hindu architecture. Temple was build during Vedic period and then renovated in 8th century by Adi Guru Shankaracharya.
One can also witness the Buddhist architecture in the temple. An idol of lord Shiva is there at the entrance. Adiguru Shankaracharya’s idol is also present inside the temple.
Tapt Kund:
Tapt kund is a fresh spring of hot water. It is unbelievable to see a spring of hot water in Himalaya mountains where the outer temperature is almost zero degrees. Tapt kund is one of the main attractions of Badrinath Dham.
Festivals:
Kedar Badri Utsav, and “Mata Murti Ka Mela” are famous festivals here. People celebrate Krishna Janmashtmi with great joy in Badrinath temple.
Bheem Pul:
It is a natural stone bridge across the Saraswati River. This is located opposite to the Vyas Gufa in Mana village. Devotees believe that when Pandavas were crossing the river, Bheem threw a huge rock to make a bridge between the two mountains.
Mana Village (Vyas Gufa):
Mana village is 3 km away from Badrinath it is the last village if India in Indo-China border. Famous Vyas cave is one of the main attractions here. It is believed that Maharishi Vyas, who wrote the great Hindu epic “Mahabharata”, lived in these caves.
Badrinath Temple Pooja Rates:
The regular darshan in Badrinath Dham is free of cost for all the devotees despite of their religion. But if someone wants to perform special Pooja or Abhishekam, then there are different amounts to be paid. The prices of these special Poojas are-
4:30 PM to 6:30 AM:
Maha Abhishek (1 Person)- INR 4300
Abhishek Puja (1 Person)- INR 4101
6:30 AM to 12:00 PM & 3:00 PM:
Ved Path (1 Person)- INR 2100
Geeta path (1 Person)- INR 2500
Daily or Periodical Puja/ Bhog & Akhand Jyoti:
Akhand Jyoti Annual- INR 4951
Ghrit Kambal Ghee on closing day- INR 4951
Ghee for Deepak on closing day- INR 3511
Akhand Jyoti One day- INR 1451
Badrinath Special Puja:
Shrimad Bhagwat Saptah Path- INR 35101
Entire Pujas of a day (1 Person)- INR 11700
Evening Aarti/Archana & Path (6:00 PM to 9:– PM)
Swarna Aarti (1 Person)- INR 376
Vishnusahasranam Path (1 Person)- INR 456
Kapoor Aarti (1 Person)- INR 151
Shayan Aarti (1 Person)- INR 3100
Puja on Special Occasions:
Bhagwan Nar-Narayan Janmotsava (Shrawan Month)- INR 4951
Shrawani abhishek (Shrawan Month)- INR 11701
Shri Krishan Janmastami Utsav- INR 10551
Travel Tips:
- The weather in Badrinath temple might get a little chilly so it is advisable to carry woolen clothes.
- Since the place has a great religious value, one should not consume alcohol and non-vegetarian food here.
- Taking pictures of the idols of Gods is strictly prohibited inside the temple premises.
Badrinath Weather and Best Time to Visit:
Summer (Apr-Jun):
- Weather here remains pleasant during summers. An ideal time to visit Badrinath Temple would be during summers when the temperature is moderately cold.
- May marks the beginning of the tourist season for Badrinath. The average temperature during summer is 17°C.
Monsoon (July-Sep):
- In monsoon, there occurs heavy rainfall which can cause landslides and disrupt your journey.
- The area receives occasional rainfall in the month of September, which makes a popular month for visiting Badrinath.
- The average temperature during summer is 14°C.
Winters (Oct-Mar):
- Snowfall will start from the end of month October.
- After November, extremely cold waves engulf the region and roads remain normally closed.
- The average temperature during summer is 5°C.
| Month | Min. Temp. (in °C) | Max. Temp (in °C) | Climate |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1°C | 9°C | Snowfall |
| February | 5°C | 10°C | Snowfall |
| March | 3°C | 12°C | Snowfall |
| April | 6°C | 15°C | Snowfall |
| May | 11°C | 22°C | Sunny |
| June | 10°C | 16°C | Sunny |
| July | 11°C | 14°C | Rainy |
| August | 11°C | 16°C | Rainy |
| September | 12°C | 15°C | Sunny |
| October | 12°C | 17°C | Snowfall |
| November | 5°C | 13°C | Snowfall |
| December | 5°C | 11°C | Snowfall |
How to Reach Badrinath Temple:
By Air
Jolly Grant Airport is the nearest Airport to Badrinath. It is situated at a distance of 314 km. Jolly Grant Airport is well connected to Delhi with daily flights. Badrinath is well connected by motorable roads with Jolly Grant Airport. Taxis are available from Jolly Grant Airport to Badrinath.
By Train
The nearest railway station is Rishikesh, 295 km away from Badrinath. Taxis and buses are available from Rishikesh to Badrinath.
By Road
Badrinath is well connected by roads with major destinations of Uttarakhand. Buses and Taxis to Badrinath are easily available from all major cities of Uttarakhand. Badrinath lies on NH-58. Badrinath is 340 km away from Dehradun.