Badrinath Temple

Lord Badrinarayan (Vishnu)

Badrinath, Chamoli district, Uttarakhand

Folktale & Sacred Story

According to legend, Vishnu meditated for ages at this spot in his twin form as the sages Nara and Narayana. When a harsh Himalayan storm threatened him, his consort Lakshmi transformed herself into a badri (wild berry) tree to shield him with her branches. Moved by her devotion, Vishnu named the place 'Badri' and took the name Badrinath, 'Lord of the Badri,' in her honour. Tradition holds that Adi Shankaracharya later recovered the deity's image from the Alaknanda river and enshrined it near the Tapt Kund hot springs, before a King of Garhwal moved the murti to the present temple site.

Most Revered Practice

Pilgrims traditionally bathe in the Tapt Kund hot sulphur springs just below the temple before darshan, considering this purification a required first step. The day begins with the Maha Abhishek and Mangala Aarti around 4:30 a.m. and closes with the Shayan Aarti around 8:30 p.m.; the temple's priest, or Rawal, performs the pujas himself.

Prasadam & Offerings

Prasad distributed at the temple typically includes tulsi (basil) leaves, mishri (sugar candy) and charnamrit (sanctified water).

Temple Speciality

The temple sits at about 3,100 m between the Nar and Narayan mountain ranges on the banks of the Alaknanda river, right beside the naturally hot Tapt Kund springs even as surrounding temperatures stay near freezing. Its gold-gilded conical spire over the sanctum reflects North Indian Himalayan temple architecture built to shed heavy snow.

Why Pilgrims Visit

Badrinath is the most prominent of the four sites in the pan-India Char Dham and is traditionally visited as the concluding pilgrimage after Kedarnath. Devotees come for Vishnu's blessings, the hot-spring bath, and the dramatic Himalayan setting.

History & Legend

One of the Char Dham and also one of the 108 Divya Desams, traditionally associated with Adi Shankaracharya's 8th-century revival of the site; it sits beside the Alaknanda river near the Tibet border.

Divine Significance

Uniquely honored in both the Vishnu and Shiva traditions as a supreme pilgrimage site, and considered one of the most sacred Vaishnavite shrines in the Himalayas.

Darshan Timings

Badrinath Temple opens only seasonally, generally from late April to mid-November; during the open season, daily darshan generally runs from about 4:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (please confirm exact timings with the temple before visiting, as they vary by season and festival).

How To Reach

Nearest airport: Dehradun (Jolly Grant). Nearest railway station: Rishikesh, followed by a scenic mountain road to Badrinath.

Where To Stay

GMVN guesthouses, ashrams and private hotels in Badrinath town; open only May to November due to snow.

Local Food Nearby

As with Kedarnath, only vegetarian food is available; local eateries serve Garhwali dishes alongside general North Indian fare like dal, sabzi, puri and paratha for pilgrims.

Contact & Official Info

Contact Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) / Uttarakhand Tourism.

Location Map

View on Google Maps → (30.744695, 79.491175)