A visit to Badrinath

Badrinath

Badrinath is a holy town and a nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is the most important of the four sites in India's Char Dham pilgrimage and gets its name from the temple of Badrinath. The lovely temple is located at a height of around 10,250 feet above sea level and it's surrounding landscape provides breathtaking visuals. The route to Badarinath is also very fascinating with hilly terrain and scenic Himalayan vistas.

Adi Shankaracharya, the famous Hindu philosopher saint of 8th century, constructed the present temple. It has been renovated and reconstructed a number of times since it was damaged by earthquakes and landslides. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is divided into 3 main chambers namely Garbha Griha (main sanctorum where the idol is placed), Darshan Mandap (where religious ceremonies take place) and the Sabha Mandap (where all devotees assemble).

Badrinath Temple

There are 15 idols in the temple all of which are made of black stone. The main idol of Lord Vishnu is sitting in a meditative pose with cross legs and folded hands. The temple is closed during the winter season since the temperatures drop below zero. It is open from April-May to October- November. It is recommended to take heavy woolens there.

Places to stay:- It is advisable to book the accommodation in advance as large number of people visit it frequently. Besides hotels, there are several ashrams in Badrinath which offer accommodation and food at minimal costs. Ashrams cost less than Rs 100 a day. Luxury suites cost at least Rs 3,000. Tourists can pitch their own tents and can get ready made tents from local shops. However it is advisable to stay in hotels as they provide easy access to the temple and main parts of the town.

Badrinath can be reached in following ways:-

By Air- Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun is the nearest domestic airport. Nearest international airport is New Delhi.

By Train- The nearest railway station is Dehradun Junction.

By Road- The roads of Badrinath are decently connected with the neighbouring places. Buses and taxis are easily available from places like Uttarakhand, Gaziabad and Srinagar.

The "Haridwar" in Uttarakhand

Haridwar is one of the most important Hindu pilgrim places of India. It has very rich religious and cultural heritage. It is located at the foothills of the Himalayas and is the point where River Ganga reaches the plains. The landscape of Haridwar is filled with thousands of temples and ashrams. About 1 crore pilgrims from all over the world participate in the Kumbh Mela held at Haridwar.

Haridwar

There are numerous bathing Ghats at Haridwar. The most sacred bathing spots at Haridwar are Gangadwara, Kankhal, Nila Parvata, Bilwa Teertha and Kusavarta. The most fascinating sight at Haridwar is the Ganga Aarti which is held every evening at 7 pm. The Aarti is performed in all temples at the same time and thousands of devotees participate in it. The Aarti ceremony is followed by offerings of lamps and flowers to River Ganga.

Ganga Aarti

Various temples situated in Haridwar are as follows:-

Mansa Devi Temple: Situated at the top of Bilwa Parwat, it is the temple of Goddess Mansa Devi meaning the Goddess who fulfills desires. The main temple houses two idols of the Goddess, one with three mouths and five arms, while the other one has eight arms.

Maya Devi Temple

Maya Devi Temple: This ancient temple of Maya Devi is of 11th century. It is considered one of the Siddhapithas and is said to be the place where the heart and navel of Goddess Sati had fallen.

Pawan Dham Temple: This temple, a popular tourist spot is made entirely of glass pieces. It was constructed by Swami Vedantanand Maharaj. People from Punjab have put considerable efforts and money for this place.

Bharat Mata Mandir

Bharat Mata Mandir: It is a multi-storey temple dedicated to Bharat Mata and was inaugurated on 15 May 1983 by Indira Gandhi on the banks of the river Ganges. It is situated adjacent to the Samanvaya Ashram and stands eight stories tall to a height of 180 feet. Each floor depicts an era in the Indian history from the days of Ramayana til India's independence.

Shopping: Famous places for shopping is Bara Bazar, Moti Bazar, Ranipur Mor and Jwalapur. Tourists usually buy items of devotion and inexpensive ornaments. There are large number of shops throughout Haridwar where one can buy devotional items ranging from rudraksha ornaments, deity statues to music cassettes of devotional bhajans.

Haridwar can be reached in these ways:-

By Road: National Highway 58 between Delhi and Mana Pass passes through Haridwar connecting it with Ghaziabad, Meerut, Muzzafarnagar, Roorkee and Badrinath. Then the National Highway 74 originating from Haridwar connects it with Kashipur, Kichha, Nagina, Pilibhit and Bareilly.

By Rail: The Haridwar Railway Station links the major cities of India such as Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Patna, Gaya, Varanasi, Bhubaneswar and Puri.

By Air: The nearest domestic airport is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun which is a located 35 km from Haridwar. Indira Gandhi Airport in New Delhi is the nearest international airport.