BADRINARAYANA --- KSHETRA

This is one of the foremost among the Vaishnava kshetras of the country and considered as one among the four dhamas in India.It is situated at an elevation of 3313 metres ( 23210 ft.) and guarded by two mountain ranges Nar and Narayan with a towering Neelkanta peak providing a back drop.It is situated on the confluence of the two rivers the Rishiganga and the Alakananda rivers.the place was named Badri or Badrivan s it was once carpeted with wild berries or the forest of Badris.


According to puranas it is the land equal to devaloka.It is the land where spiritual men like Uddhava,Bhishma,Drona,Machakund,Druva resided.It is the place where Pandavas spent their boyhood and undertook thirtha yatra and finally departed to Mahaprasthana.It is where Vedavyasa mahamuni lived,and where Sri Madwacharya was permitted to write his immortal work "BRAHMASUTRA BHASYA"Sri Vadiraja swamiji in his immortal work " THIRTHA PRABHANDHA" has given a detailed description of Badri.Acoording to him there is no parallel to it as a Kshetra anywhere.

This holy place has to be reached via Haridwar,Rishikesh,Devaprayag,Rudraprayag,Chamoli,Pippalkot,

Joshimutt,Pandukeshwara,Hanumanchetti,Devadarshini,Garudaganga,Gowrikund and Hemakund.The probable distance to Badrinath is about 333 kms from Haridwar.So,the piligrim to Badrinath dham is a very difficuclt exercise.

The shrine at the height of 23210 feet has a structure 15 metres high.It has the idol of badrinarayana which is one and half feet high in black stone.It is a chaturbuja murthy in meditating posture wearing a crown and draped in pitambara.The god is surrounded by Lakshmi narayana,Sri Devi, Bhoodevi,Garuda,Kubera,Ganesha. The temple is open only for six months in a year.The priests sre from Namboodri community.They are called as Ravalas. They conduct worship according to Vaishanava Tradition.

There are several other holy places around the place. The water issuing forth from the holy feet of Lord Badrinarayana is called Tapta Kund.Brahma Kapala is another place where piligrims perform pindapradan.The other places here are Keshava Prayag,Ganesha guha,Bheema Setu,and Vasudhara(where Alakananda falls down)Narada Kund and Surya Kund are hot water springs.Vyasa Paudi or Vyasa Guha is at the Alakananda and Saraswathi rivs sangam.

Sages, saints and commoners throng here to this kshetra visit not only Badrinarayana but also visit other holy places around it.

The four other Badris are Yogadhyan Badri(Pandukeswar) ,Bhavishya Badri(Near Joshimutt)Dhayan Badri and Adi Badri(18 kms from Karnaprayag)located in Uttarakhand.