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Cradled
in the twin montain ranges of nar and narayan is the holiest of the four
main shrines , badrinath along the lift bank of the river alaknanda . With
the backdrop, it is an important destination on the sacred itinerary of
every devout hindu . Once the spot was carpeted with 'badris ' or wild
berries and hence was famous as 'badri van '
The revered shrine
is still alive with myriad legends from mythology . its sanctity is
emphasised in the ancient scriptures as "there are many sacred spots
of pilgrimage in the heavens , earth and the nether world ,but there has
been none equal to badri , nor shall there be " Legend has it when
the ganga was requested to descend to earth to help the suffering humanity
,
the earth
was unable to withstand the force of its descent . therefore the mighty
ganga was split into twelve holy channesl . alanknanda was one of lord
vishnu or badrinath .
The temple of shri badrinathji on the bank
of the alaknanda river , dates back to the alaknanda river , dates back to
the vedic times , situated at an altitude of 3,133 mts . , the present
temple is believed to have been built by adi guru shankaracharya - an 8th
century 's philosopher -saint , who also established a math here . also
known as vishal badri , badrinath is one of the panch badris .
The
temple remains closed duriing the winter season and is open from april -
may to octobr - november .
Badrinath
Temple:On the right bank of alaknanda liesl the sacred spotl
perched at an altitude of 3,133 meters above the sea level. Encircled by a
beautiful valley, the 15 mts. high temple is dedicated to lord vishni. It
is built in the form of a cone with a small cupola of a ilt bull and
spire.
Built by adi guru shankaracharya the philosopher-saint of
the 8th centurty, the temple has been renovated several times due to
damage by avalanches. Its colourful 'singh dwara' or the mainentrance gate
give it a new, modern look.
The temple is divided into three
parts the 'garbha griha' or sanctum sanctorum, the' darshan mandap' where
the rituals are conducted and the 'sabha mandap' Where devotees assemble.
The complex has 15 idols. Specially attractive is the one metre high image
of Badrinath, finely sculpted in black stone. It represents lord Vishnu
seated in a meditative pose.
Devotees take a holy dip in the natural thermal springs on the banks of the river Alaknanda , before entering the Badrinath Temple. The water of the Kund is believed to have medicinal properties.
A pyramidal-shaped snowy peak towering above Badrinath, Popularly known as the `Garhwal Queen`.
The footprints of Lord Vishnu can be seen on a boulder in this beautiful meadow.
A flat platform on the bank of river Alaknanda where Hindus perform
A boulder having an impression of the legendary serpant- known as Sheshnag's eye.
HEMKUND
SAHIB (43 kms.) Near the Valley of flowers is the holy lake Hemkund- an important pilgrimage of theSikhs and Hindus. Along its shores is the sacred Sikh shrine where Guru Gobind singh, the tenth Guru unified with god after Prolonged meditation in his previous birth. Nearby is the Lakshman Temple where Lakshman - the brother of Lord Rama performed his penance. The reflection of surrounding snow- clad peaks in its placid waters offers a scenic sight.
On the right bank of alaknana stands the temple dedicated to the mother of sri Badrinathji.
Inhabited by Indo-Mangolian tribe, it is considered to be the last indian village before Tibet. On this route, nearby are Vyas Gufa-the rock cave of saint Ved Vyas, the writer of Mahabharata. Bhim Pul- a natural bridge over the Saraswati river and Vasundhara Falls- a 122 mts. high waterfall - forming an important part of the pilgrimage to Badrinath.
The source of alaknanda river from the glacier snouts of Bhagirath-kharak and satopanth glaciers.
A three cornered lake with a circumference of about 1 km., is situated at an elevation of 4,402 mts. above sea level. It is named after the Hindu triad - Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, who are blieved to occupy one corner each of the lake. The trek is hazardous with dramatic lanscapes. An experienced guide is advisable.
The confluence of alaknanda and Lakshman Ganga rivers. It has an imposing Gurudwara named after Guru Gobind singh.
The winter home of Shri Badrinathji is situated on the slopes above the confluence of alaknanda and dhauliganga. It is one of the four 'maths's established by adi guru shankaracharya.
An ideal shi resort in theGarhwal Himalayas with its slopes comparable to the best in the world. Perched at an elevation of 2,500 mts, auli not only offers a magnificent view of the Himalaya rqnges but is a delight for winter sports enthusiasts.
VALLEY
OF Flowers (42 kms.) An exotice valley in a conical shape lies to the east of Badrinath with river pushpawati flowing through it. The valley that is presently a national park, is 19 kms. trek from govindghat. A must- see for all natural lovers.
A scenic spot amidst snow- clad peaks.
From Gopeshwar to Badrinath highway is the tiny mountain retreat that attracts visitors for its verdant landscap3s and fresh mountain air.
The old capital of Garhwal, it is an important cultural and educational centre. Places to visit include Kamleshwar and Kilkileshwar temples and the shankar math.