Badrinath Temple
Badrinath (3,133 m) in Chamoli district is the most visited Char Dham shrine and one of India's holiest Vishnu temples. The colourful temple dedicated to Lord Badrinarayan (Vishnu) is flanked by the Nar and Narayan mountain ranges. Adi Shankaracharya found a black stone Vishnu image in the Alaknanda river in the 8th century and installed it here. The Tapt Kund hot spring is where pilgrims bathe before entering the shrine. Brahma Kapal on the riverbank is where Hindus perform ancestral rites. Mana village, 3 km away and the last Indian settlement before Tibet, is steeped in Mahabharata lore. Badrinath is accessible by road from Rishikesh, approximately 300 km. • Badrinath (3,133 m) in Chamoli district is the most visited of the four Char Dham shrines. • The temple is dedicated to Lord Badrinarayan (Vishnu) and is one of the 108 Divya Desams. • ...