Badrinath
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Badrinath
Uttarakhand • India |
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| District(s) | Chamoli |
| Coordinates | |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Area • Elevation |
3 km² (1 mi²) • 3,133 m (10,279 ft) |
| Population • Density |
841 (2001) • 280/km² |
Badrinath is a Hindu holy town and a nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Badrinath is on a small plateau between Narayana Parbat and the Alakananda River. Badrinath is the most important of the four sites in India's Char Dham pilgrimage. Badrinath is in the Garhwal hills, on the banks of the Alaknanda River, at an elevation of 3133 m. The Nara and Narayana peaks tower over Badrinath. The fantastic Nilkantha Mountain is 6,560m. Badrinath is located 301km north of Rishikesh. From Gaurikund (near Kedarnath) to Badrinath by road is 233km.
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[edit] Significance
Badrinath was established as a major pilgrimage site by Adi Shankara in the ninth century. Since then, its popularity has increased significantly, with an estimated 600,000 pilgrims visiting during the 2006 season,[1] compared to 90,676 in 1961.[2] The temple in Badrinath is also a sacred pilgrimage site for Vaishnavites.
Badrinath has been mentioned as a holy place in scriptures and legends for thousands of years. According to the Srimad Bhagavatam, "There in Badrikashram the Personality of Godhead (Vishnu), in his incarnation as the sages Nara and Narayana, had been undergoing great penance since time immemorial for the welfare of all living entities." (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.4.22)
Badri refers to a berry that was said to grow abundantly in the area, and nath refers to Vishnu. Badri is the Sanskrit name for the Indian Jujube tree[3], which has an edible berry. Some scriptural references also refer to Jujube trees being abundant in Badrinath. Legend has it that Goddess Lakshmi took the form of the berries to protect Lord Vishnu from the harsh climate during his long penance.
[edit] Badrinath temple
The most visited site in the town of Badrinath is the Badrinath temple. The temple was built in the ninth century by Adi Shankara. This temple is full of ancient stone carvings. Since then, it has undergone several major renovations, due to damage by avalanche.[4] The temple now has a modern looking, colorful front, atypical of Hindu temples. The canopy over the Deities is covered with a sheet of pure gold. Several murtis are worshipped in the temple. The most important is a one meter tall black stone image of Vishnu, as Lord Badri Narayan.The murti of Lord Badrinath is self-manifested from a 2/3m (2 ft) high black shalagram-shila. He is also called Badri Vishal or Badrinarayana. His details are not very distinct due to weathering, since he was thrown into Narada Kund for several years. Lord Badrinarayana is said to have been installed by Sankaracharya, who recovered the Deity from Narada Kund.
Lord Badrinath is sitting meditating in the padmasana (lotus yogic posture). As you look at the Deities, standing to the right side of Badrinarayana is Uddhava. To the far right side are Nara and Narayana. Narada Muni is kneeling in front on the right side and is difficult to see. On the left side are Kubera, the god of wealth, and a silver Ganesh. Garuda is kneeling in front, to the left of Badrinarayana.
Within the temple enclosure, to the left of the main temple building, is a separate shrine dedicated to Lakshmi Devi and the Gaddi (sitting place) of Adi Sankaracharya, just outside the exit door of the temple. The Lakshmi Temple is painted red in front. The temple dedicated to Sankaracharya is said to mark his sitting place while he was in Badrinath.
The temple is open six months of the year, May to October. The priests of the temple perform their worship (puja) in Joshimath, 50km south, the rest of the year. Before they close the temple in November, they perform one last puja and leave the ghee lamps in the temple lit. Six months later, in the month of May, they return to open the temple and find the ghee lamps still lit. It is said that the great sage Narada Muni along with other demigods come during the winter months to carry on the worship. The temple priests are Nambudiri Brahmins from Kerala.
The Nirmalya darshan of Badari-narayana in the early morning is the most auspicious time to view the Deity. The present temple is about 400 years old. The temple is open from 6.30 am to 1 pm and 4 to 9 pm. Waiting time to enter the temple in the afternoon is a half hour or more. If you come in the morning, you can expect to wait an hour to enter the temple.
It is only possible for several people to view the Deities at one time. You are allowed to stand to the side once you are in the temple and view the Deities as long as you like.
[edit] History and Legend
One legend has it that when the goddess Ganga was requested to descend to earth to help suffering humanity, the earth was unable to withstand the force of her descent. Therefore the mighty Ganga was split into twelve holy channels, with Alaknanda one of them. It later became the abode of Lord Vishnu or Badrinath.
The mountains around Badrinath are mentioned in the Mahabharata, when 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 Swargarohini. There is also a cave in Mana where Vyas, according to legend, wrote the Mahabharata.[2]
According to the Skanda Purana: “There are several sacred shrines in heaven, on earth, and in hell; but there is no shrine like Badrinath.”
The area around Badrinath was celebrated in Padma Purana as abounding in spiritual treasures.[2]
According to Vamana Purana, the sages Nara and Narayana (fifth avatar Of Lord Vishnu) perform Penaces here.
Badrinath has also been eulogised as Bhu Vaikunta or earthly abode of Lord Vishnu. Many religious scholars such as Ramanujacharya, Madhawacharya and Vedanta Desika visited Badrinath and wrote sacred texts, such as commentaries on Brahmasutras and other Upanishads.
[edit] Pilgrimage
Located only a few kilometers from the Indo-China (Tibet) border, Badrinath is generally a two-day-long journey from either Kedarnath, the site that precedes it in the Char Dham circuit, or one of the main disembarkation points on the plains. Hemkund Sahib, an important Sikh pilgrimage site, is on the way to Badrinath, so the road is especially crowded during the summer pilgrimage season. The temple and its substantial surrounding village are accessible by road.
There is a hot spring near the temple, and many saints live in the surrounding mountains all year round despite the harsh winter at such high elevations.
The northern math established by Adi Sankara is nearby at Jyotirmath.
In the area around the Badri-Narayana temple, there is Trikut Parvata mountain and Triveni Sangam, which is the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati. The Ganges and Yamuna are manifested here, just as they have manifested in the Himalayas.
Other places in the area are Haridwar, Har Ki Pauri, Rishikesh, Laksman Jhula, and Nara Narayan Parvata. These are all places that are found in the Himalayas between Haridwar and Badrinath.
The best time to visit Badrinath is between June and September. Warm clothes are recommended all year.
[edit] Transport
The nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport near Dehradun, about 317 km from Badrinath. The nearest railway stations to Badrinath are at Rishikesh and Kotdwar, which are at a distance of 297 km and 327 km respectively. There are regular buses operating to Badrinath, from New Delhi, Haridwar and Rishikesh. As the roads coming to this place are very bad (after Dig), it is best to come here by jeep. Until recently you could not drive here, but now you can drive right up next to the temple.To drive here you first go the town of Govardhana. From there you go to the town of Dig. It is about 15km from Dig to Badrinath, on very bad roads. About a half hour after leaving Dig, you come to a fairly small white temple, on top of a hill on your right. At this temple you make a left and follow the road around for about ten minutes, until you reach the Badrinath temple.
[edit] Demographics
As of 2001 India censusGRIndia, Badrinathpuri had a population of 841. Males constitute 65% of the population and females 35%. Badrinathpuri has an average literacy rate of 85%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 70% of the males and 30% of females literate. 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.
[edit] Notes
[edit] External links
- Sri Badri Narayana Perumal Temple, Badrinath
- Badrinath Temple
- http://www.hillresortsinindia.com/badrinath.html
- Badrinath at WikiMapia
- Badrinath travel guide from Wikitravel
| Hindu Holy Cities in India |  |
|---|---|
| Allahabad • Ayodhya • Badrinath • Dharmasthala • Dwarka • Gaya • Guruvayur • Haridwar • Rishikesh • Kalahasti • Kanchipuram • Kedarnath • Kollur • Mathura • Mayapur • Nashik • Nathdwara • Puri • Rameswaram • Sabarimala • Somnath • Sringeri • Srirangam • Tirumala - Tirupati • Ujjain • Varanasi • Vrindavan |
