Badrinath temple

Badrinath temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Hindus also call it Badri Vishal.

Temple is located at about 10,500 feet above mean sea level in Alaknanda Valley, in Badrinath town, Uttaranchal Pradesh. It flanked by two mountain ranges called Nar and Narayan [man and God]. It is one of the Four Dhams, in four corners of India. The temple is actually very old, being mentioned in ancient scriptures, but the present one established by Shankracharya about 810 AD and has been standing there as it is.

Badrinath Temple is opened  on Basant Panchami [1st May this tear] and closes for winter on  Vijaydashmi. Thus, the temple opens every year in the month of April-May and closes for winters in the third week of November. Joshimath is the winter deity of Badrinath.

On the first day of opening thousands of pilgrims from all over India and abroad line up for entry from mid night.

The hotel accommodation is not much but voluntary organizations provide free board and lodge. The devotees may drop something in the donation boxes of those places.

Temple is about 15 M tall, with a gold covered cupola. The front wall is built of stone with arched windows. The hall inside is supported by pillars of kasauti [touch stone] stone.

The present form of the temple looks quite “modern”one as it aws was renovated extensively by the king of Garhwal in 1805.

Hmm. The locaion of the temple is vulerable to land slides, but then the Himalyas are themselves unstable!