4 Places to Visit in Badrinath

Known as a holy town, Badrinath is one among the well-known char dams being mentioned in many Hindu scriptures and legends. It is one of the most holy places in Hinduism and is situated in Chamoli in Uttarakhand.

The presence of Badrinath temple makes it an all famous pilgrimage site. It is also a pilgrimage site for Jainism.

The temple of Badrinath is dedicated to Lord Vishnu which is situated on the shores of Alaknanda.  Now let’s visit the four attractions of Badrinath:

1. Badrinath Temple

Badrinath Temple

Photo by Sumeet Basak, CC BY 2.0

According to Hindu scriptures, renowned saint and philosopher Adi Guru Shankaracharya had got this temple constructed in 8th century. It stands as one among the most famous temples in Badrinath. Divided in three parts, namely, garbha griba, sabha mandap and darshan mandap, it is situated on the left shores of Alaknanda river. It is constructed in a cone form where the entrance gate is called as Singh Dwara. The devotees assemble in garba griha and sabha mandap and prayers and rituals are conducted in darshan mandap.

This temple houses a Badrinath idol made of black stone, a metre in height and poses Lord Vishnu in meditative posture. There are 15 other idols in this temple.

2. Tapt Kund

Tapt Kund

Photo by Priyanath, CC BY-SA 3.0

Known for its medicinal properties, it is also called as Lord Agni’s abode.  The devotees take a holy tip before they enter the holy shrine. According to legends, one dip in this pond makes one spiritually rejuvenating and relieves you off from the sins. As the temperature of this Kund is 45 degrees, the water is pretty hot here. Also there are many other hot water springs on the shore of Alaknanda river.

3. Brahma Kapal

Located within the vicinity of Badrinath Temple, this is famous Ghat situated on Alaknanda shores. This place is known for paying homage to departed ones. While some perform rituals to ensure peace for their departed members, the others perform Shraddha here for their ancestors.

According to legends, Lord Brahma resides here. The other temples located here are of Sheshnetra temple, Charanpaduka temple and Mata Murthy Temple.

4. Vasundhara Falls

Vasundhara Falls

Photo by Bodhisattwa, CC BY-SA 4.0

Situated in Mana village, there are beautiful waterfalls surrounded by pristine mountain peaks. It is one among the renowned tourist attractions, situated at 4 km stretch from Badrinath.

The cascading water flows down from 400 feet of height and looks like a milky stream coming down. This waterfall is situated at 12000 feet and hence is clearly visible from the base.

Hence if you too want your wishes to be fulfilled and the sins to be washed away, you should visit this site which is one of the most important among the four sites in India’s Char Dham pilgrimage.

You will be amazed to see yet another interesting site where according to legends, saint Vyasa had written the Mahabharata. This is also situated near the Mana village.  One visit to this place will unfold thousands of stories which lies wrapped under its belt. So, be prepared to explore the parts of Indian scriptures by visiting this holy place.