Badrinath & Kedarnath Tourism

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.

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 remains closed duriing the winter season and is open from april - may to octobr - november.

Excursions in Badrinath

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.

 

Mata Murti Temple (3 Kms.)

On the right bank of alaknana stands the temple dedicated to the mother of sri Badrinathji.

Mana Village (4 Kms.)

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.

Alka Puri (15 kms.)

The source of alaknanda river from the glacier snouts of Bhagirath-kharak and satopanth glaciers.

Satopanth (25 Kms.)

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.

Govindghat (25 Kms.)

The confluence of alaknanda and Lakshman Ganga rivers. It has an imposing Gurudwara named after Guru Gobind singh.

Joshimath (44 Kms.)

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.

 

 

Auli (57 Kms.)

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.

Pipalkoti (80 Kms.)

A scenic spot amidst snow- clad peaks.

Chamoli (10 Kms.)

From Gopeshwar to Badrinath highway is the tiny mountain retreat that attracts visitors for its verdant landscap3s and fresh mountain air.
 

How To Reach Badrinath

Rail:Rishikesh Rail: 292 km

Road:Badrinath is connected by road to Rishikesh, Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri, Tehri, Uttarkashi, Nainital and Almora.Some of the major road distance are Delhi - 518 km,
Rishikesh - 297 km, Joshimath - 42 km,
Haridwar - 321 km, Karnprayag - 123 km, Rudraprayag - 155 km, Deoprayag - 225 km, Dehradun 343 km.

 

Kedarnath Tourism

One of the twelve "Jyotirlingas" of Lord Shiva, Kedarnath is amongst the premier pilgrimage centres in the country.

Situated at and altitude of 3,581 mts. above sea level, against the backdrop of the awe-inspring Kedarnath range , the temple of Sri Kedarnath is visited by hundreds of devotees every year.

It was at Kedarnath, narrates the epic Mahabharat, that Yudhishthir, the eldest of the Pandava brothers, departed to Heaven; another legend has is that the Pandavas of the Mahabharat epic underwent severe penances here to atone the killings of their kith and kin in the great battle of Kurukshetra and so estanlished this shrine.

At the entrance to the temple is a statue of Nandi, the divine the bull. The interiors of the Kedarnath temple are exquisitely carved with images.

Places of Religious Interest:

From Kedarnath one can also visit Ukhimath, the winter home of Sri Kedarnath, Samadhi of Shankracharyaji, Bhairavnath temple, Agastyamuni, Gupta Kashi, Triyuginarayan, Vasuki Tal, the shrines of Madmaheswar , Tungnath, Rudranath & Kalpeshwar.

Facilities:

Kedarnath is 239 km from Dehradun of which the first 225 km. Is by road and the remaining 14 km a trekking route. Rishikesh the last railhead is 221 km from Kedarnath.

Kedarnath is well connected by bus services to other centeres in the region. Ponies, dandis and porters are available at Gaurikund, from where the 14 km. Trek to Kedarnath starts.

The temple remains closed from mid November to early April.

 

How To Reach Kedarnath

By air: The nearest airport is Jolly Grant (26 km from Rishikesh).

By rail: The nearest railhead is at Rishikesh.

By road: From Rishikesh, the road-network to all the four chams is good. There are daily buses plying between and to the four dhams.

Best Time To visit: The best time to visit is from May to October. The temples of all four Dhaams usually remain open from the first week of May to the second week of November.

What to wear: Heavy woollens are recommended.