Uttarakhand is a state in Northern India and is renowned for its Hindu pilgrimage sites. This stunning state is famous for holding numerous Hindu temples and pilgrimage centers. It is also famous for the natural environment of the Himalayas. The places here in Uttarakhand tour packages, from pretty hill stations, honeymoon spots, pilgrimage sites, picturesque beauty, adventurous experiences and tranquil ashrams. There are some beautiful places to visit in Uttarkhand- Rishikesh- the Yoga capital is nestled at the foothills of the Himalayas along the banks of river Ganga. One can indulge in thrilling river rafting in Rishikesh trip package, one can stay at beach camps and practice Yoga asanas at ashrams and also witness the perfect backdrop of the marvellous Himalayas, head towards the holy Haridwar that is one of the seven holiest cities for Hindus. Har Ki Pauri, the river ghat is indeed the best places to visit in Haridwar tour package. Attend the Ganga aarti in Haridwar and witness the million of tiny flickering lamps that floats in the river with sounds of bells. Visit Dehradun that is the capital of Uttarakhand state. This city is a gateway to the picturesque hills of Uttarkhand, visit the famous hill station of this state- Nainital visit here the famous Naini Lake in Nainital tour package.
Enjoy here the views of snow-covered mountains in the backdrop, scenic beauty, pristine lakes and rich flora. Do not miss to explore Mussoorie package- the Queen of hills that is the perfect destination for honeymooners. This place offers fantabulous views of Shiwalik ranges and Doon Valley that is indeed a visual treat to the eyes.
There are other places too that truly need to be visited. These are- Binsar- a perfect fusion of mythology and nature, Ranikhet-known for trekking trails, pretty ancient temples, and mountain peaks, Munsiyari- a paradise for bike riders. There are other places too that surely needs to be explored. So just plan your next trip to this beautiful Uttarkhand and capture some pretty good moments for a lifetime.
Panch Badri
Panch Badri is a set of five sacred temples all devoted to Lord Vishnu and visiting all of them is considered very auspicious by the devotees and pilgrims. The Panch Badri temples- Vishal Badri(Badrinath) – is also the part of holy Chardham of Uttarakhand, Yogdhyan Badri- is nestled at a height of 1920m, Bhavishya Badri- situated at a good height of 2744m, Vridha Badri- is nestled at a height of 1380m, and Adi Badri- is nestled 19kms away from Karanprayag on Chaukuthia-Ranikhet road, are considered the abode of Lord Vishnu and are nestled in the area starting from Satopanth around 24 km above Badrinath extending to Nandprayag in the South. The entire area is known as the Badri-Kshetra and is a major pilgrimage destination for both Lord Vishnu devotees as well as other people of the Hindu faith.
The mythology behind Panch Badri temples
Badrinath
As per the mythology when goddess Ganga was requested to descend to earth to help the suffering humanity, the earth was unable to withstand the force of her descent and thus the Ganga was split into twelve holy channels, Alaknanda being one of them.
One more story related to Badrinath is that Lord Vishnu in his incarnation as the sages Nara and Narayana did penance in an open space at Badrinath. Lord Vishnu consort Lakshmi created a shelter for him in the form of a Badri tree to protect him from adverse climate conditions. As per the scripture Bhagavata Purana there is Badrinath the personality of Vishnu in his incarnation as the sages Nara Narayana had been undergoing great penance since time immemorial for the welfare of living entities.
Bhavishya Badri
As per the legend Bhavishya Badri temple was constructed by Adi Shankaracharya. The mythology states that when Adi Shankaracharya took Badri Vishal from Tapta Kund, a celestial announcement was made. When Kal yuga will befall on mankind the mountains of Nara and Narasimha will be blocked and Badrinath would become inaccessible and Lord Badri will appear here and therefore Bhavishya Badri will be the new place of worship of Lord Badrinath.
Vridha Badri
The mythology states that Vridha Badri had been the house of the deity of Shri Badri Narayan idol before its enshrinement at Badrinath Dham. When the sage Narad decided to perform penance at this place to please Lord Vishnu, Lord Vishnu appeared before Narad disguised as an old man and answered his prayers, therefore, an idol of Lord Vishnu in the form of an old man was created by Vishwakarma the architect of Gods and Goddesses.
Adi Badri
As per the mythology Lord Vishnu resided at Adi Badri during the Satya, Treta and Dwapar yugas before moving to Badrinath in Kali Yuga. Whenever the road to Badrinath Dham is closed due to climatic conditions devotees worship Lord Vishnu at Adi Badri. The ancient saints and seers prophesized that Lord Vishnu will shift his abode to Bhavishya Badri in Satya Yuga after the completion of Kali Yuga. There is another story states that Maharishi Ved Vyas- known to have divided the Veda into Rigveda, Samveda, Yajurveda, and Atharveda wrote Bhagwat Gita at Adi Badri that was delivered by the god himself.
Vishal Badri (Badrinath)
Vishal Badri or Badrinath is nestled in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand in the town named after the temple. It is indeed one of the iconic temples situated at an elevation of 3133 m and nestled between the Nar and Narayan mountain ranges. Badrinath or Vishal Badri is one of the 108 temples of Lord Vishnu. This temple is constructed in the 8th century by Adi Shankaracharya. The main entrance of this temple is in the form of a tall and arched gateway and is reached via a broad platform like a stair.
On entering one can find the mandap area that is a pillared and large hall that leads up to the sanctum of the main shrine. One can even witness the walls and pillars of the hall all covered with intricate carvings. One can find the Tapt Kund- a group of hot sulfur springs that are just below the temple and are considered medicinal. The pilgrims consider it a must to bathe in the springs before visiting the temple.
The main shrine holds the feet Shaligram or black stone- the deity of Lord Badrinarayana that is housed in a gold canopy under a Badri tree.
Yog Dhyan Badri
Yog Dhyan Badri temple is one of the Sapta Badir nestled at Pandukeshwar Badrinath. Yogdhayn Badri is nestled near Badrinath Equi-distance between beautiful Joshimath and Badrinath. It is located at a distance of around 18kms from Joshimath and 23kms from Badrinath. This temple is the place of worshipping Lord Vishnu meditative posture idol. It is believed that King Pandu installed the bronze idol of Lord Vishnu in the Yogdhyan Badri Shrine. Be a part of the famous Devwar festival celebrated in Pandukeshwar’s Yogdhyan Badri temple and on this particular day the idol of Udhava and Kuber leaves Badrinath. The other festival is celebrated on the day when these idols come back to Yogdhyan Badri temple in winters. A pilgrimage tour is incomplete without offering prayers at this place.
Bhavishya Badri
Bhavishya Badri is one of the Panch Badri temples nestled at a good height of 2744 m near Joshimath. This temple is devoted to Lord Vishnu and is known to be the future seat of Badrinath. Witness here the pretty water spring and several Cedar trees too. The Bhavishya Badri temple opens and closes on the same dates as Badrinath. One can pay a visit to this serene temple from March to May and September to November. Avoid Monsoon and winter season as it is not an ideal time to visit this temple. Apart from the devotees trekkers too visit this temple as the trekking route is very amazing.
Vridha Badri
Vridha Badri temple is nestled in the stunning Animath village that is located at a distance of almost 7kms from Joshimath and is 1380 meters above sea level. The Vridha Badri temple dates back to the times when Idia was ruled by the Gupta dynasty. This pretty temple is one of the Sapt Badir temples in Badrikshetra. It also holds a very prominent place in Hindu mythology. This beautiful temple is built in the North Indian style of architecture and has a sanctum that contains representations of Lord Vishnu.
Vridha Badri is the place where Lord Vishnu appeared as an old man before sage Narada who undertook penance here and therefore the idol presiding the temple is also in the form of an old man. It remains open all through the year for performing pilgrimage. The aptest time to visit Vridha Badri is from May to October. Avoid the monsoon season as the area is prone to landslides and floods.
Adi Badri
Adi Badri is one of the popular Panch Badri of Uttrakhand state.it is nestled almost 17kms away from Karnaprayag near Chulakot and is located on the confluence of Pindar river and Alaknanda river in Chamoli district. Adi Badri is a group of ancient petty temples. It is the temple where the devotees of Vishnu offered prayers when Badrinath became inaccessible during the winter season. Adi Badri is the fantabulous temple complex and is believed to be constructed by Adi Shankaracharya. The seven temples of this complex were constructed by the Gupta rulers between the 5th and 8th century AD. The main temple of this complex is devoted to Lord Vishnu that is built on a raised platform with a small enclosure of a pyramid shape. One can witness inside the temple a black stone image of Vishnu that depicts him holding a mace, lotus, and Chakra. Adi Badri is indeed an architectural marvel in the Himalayas. This temple opens on Makar Sankranti and closes in November.
Travel route of Panch Badri
Lord Visnu is worshipped at Panch Badri in different forms. The Panch Badri is a set of five temples- Vishal Badri or Badrinath, Yoddhyan Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Vridha Badri, and Adi Badri. One on this religious journey captures beautiful moments to remember for a lifetime. One can reach Badrinath one can avail buses running from Haridwar and Rishikesh. One can even hire a taxi to reach Badrinath from Haridwar or Rishikesh. After reaching Rudraprayag, Chamoli, or Joshimath one can travel to Badrinath. One having a shortage of time can avail helicopter service to reach Badrinath. After paying a visit to Badrinath the pilgrims head towards Yogdhyan. To reach Yogdhyan one needs to drive 21kms ahead of Joshimath to reach the village of Pandukeswar in which Yogdhyan Badri is nestled. The temple is situated half a km below the motorable road. There are steps built that lead one to the temple from the road.
After paying a visit to Yogdhyan Badri one heads towards Bhavishya Badri. For darshan at Bhavishya Badri, one has to reach Saldhar village that is almost 19kms from Joshimath. The rest of the yatra has to be completed by trekking 6kms. After paying a visit to Bhavishya Badri, the sacred journey moves towards Vridha Badri. for darshan at Vridha Badri one needs to first reach Joshimath. The shrine is located at Animath village that is 7kms distant from Joshimath. After paying a visit to Vridha Badri one visits Adi Badri. One can reach Adi Badri from Nainital, Ranikhet, Karna Prayag or Ramnagar. It is around an hour’s drive from Karnaprayag and falls close to Chulakot en route to Ranikhet. The one-hour drive suffices to finish the 19kms distance from Kanaprayag to Adi Badri.
Best Time To Visit
The aptest time to seek blessings of Panch Badri is between May to September as the Badrinath Dham is opened only from May to September. Strictly avoid the monsoon months as the monsoon time is not a good time to pay a visit to the Panch Badri temples. Pay a visit to the Panch Badri temples during the summer months- May, June and the post-monsoon months- August, and September.
Each temple of Panch Badri is not just a revered VAishnavite shrine but is also colored with its rich history and mythology. So plan a religious tour to these temples and get ready to get drenched into the serenity and the tranquillity of these sacred temples.
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