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Badrinath

Badrinath

pilgrimage site · Uttarakhand

A Vishnu temple that anchors both the national Char Dham and the Chota Char Dham circuits.

State
Uttarakhand
Type
Pilgrimage Site
Best season
Monsoon
Things to do
4+

A Vishnu temple that anchors both the national Char Dham and the Chota Char Dham circuits. Badrinath is a historic holy town between the Nar and Narayana mountain ranges in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. It sits at an altitude of 3,133 metres along the banks of the Alaknanda River.

A short history

According to tradition the site was originally a Buddhist shrine before Adi Shankaracharya re-consecrated it to Vishnu in the 8th or 9th century, recovering the idol from the nearby Alaknanda river. It has been rebuilt several times after earthquake and avalanche damage, most recently under the patronage of the kings of Garhwal in the 17th century, with further renovations by the Scindias of Gwalior in the 19th century.

Why Badrinath matters

The northernmost Char Dham shrine, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, open only a few months each year due to Himalayan snow.

How many people come

19 lakh

shrine in 2024 · Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Board (reported estimate)

Why visit

Open from roughly late April to November and shut by snow the rest of the year. Bathe in the Tapt Kund hot spring below the temple before darshan, as pilgrims do. Mana, three kilometres on, is the last village before the Tibet border.

How to reach

Nearest airport: Jolly Grant Airport (DED), Dehradun (310 km). Well connected via National Highway 58. Helicopter services are also available from Sahastradhara in Dehradun directly to Badrinath.

Badrinath guide & itineraries

Popular attractions

The places in Badrinath most people come for.

Mana Village

Mana Village

Attraction

Tapt Kund

Tapt Kund

Attraction

Vasudhara Falls

Vasudhara Falls

Attraction

Charanpaduka

Charanpaduka

Attraction

See all attractions

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