PILGRIM'S COUNTRY
An
old Indian proverb goes, "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." Indians, known for their religious
fervor, lay special importance to this holy town. The etymological root
for the name of the town goes to the Badri Van, where the lush green
Badri trees grow. According to a local myth, the word badri is derived
from the wild berry that Lord Vishnu (God of the Hindu trinity,
entrusted with preserving the Universe) survived on during his
reparation at Badri Van.
LOCATION
Situated on the right banks of the river Alakananda in the northern
province of Uttar Pradesh, Badrinath is couched within the two mountain
ranges of Nar and Narayan, with the Neelkanth peak on the background.
This breathtaking sight is itself an enchantment for tourists and is
called the "Garhwal Queen." It is located in the northern district of
Chamoli and the nearest cities are Rishikesh (300 km), Mussourie and
Dehradun.
CLIMATE
It
is never too hot even in the summers, with night temperatures falling
to as low as 10°C. This makes it a pleasant retreat from the other
tropical places in the country.
SITES TO VISIT
Tourists,
both foreign and local, flock to the temple of Badrinath, which was
built by Adiguru Shankaracharya in the early ninth century AD. This
acclaimed abode of Lord Vishnu is one of North India's "Four Holy Temple
Cities" or dhams along with Puri, Rameswaram and Dwaraka. Badrinath is
also known as Tapobhumi (land of meditation and penance) and Bhubaikunth
(heaven on earth). It is situated at an altitude of 3133 meters above
sea level. Besides the main temple itself, the entrance to the shrine is
of special significance. The temple of Badrinathji remains closed from
October to April due to the winter snow, when temperatures fall to
sub-zero degrees.
Before
entering the temple itself, the pilgrims take a holy dip in the Tapt
Kund, where there are thermal springs with natural curative properties.
It is supposed to be the abode of Agni, the Hindu God of fire. Other
famous natural spring sites are Narad Kund and Surya Kund.
The
pilgrims generally perform the rites of remembrance and reverence for
the departed souls of their near ones in the Brahma Kapal, a flat
platform on the banks of the river Alakananda. A rock boulder with the
impression of Sheshnag, a mythological serpent, called Sheshnetra, is
also a place to visit. The footprints of Lord Vishnu are present on a
boulder called Charanpaduka, and are of religious significance. Another
important temple is the Mata Murti temple, dedicated to the mother of
Badrinathji.
The
origin of Alakananda River, Alka Puri, is of special interest to the
daring tourists. Satopanth, a triangular lake, is located at a height of
4402 meters above the sea level and is one of the sources of the
Alakananda River. It is named after the Hindu trinity-Lord Brahma, Lord
Vishnu and Lord Shiva.
At
the convergence of the rivers, there are pilgrim sites that are
collectively called the Panch Prayag. Devprayag, at the confluence of
Bhagirathi and Alakananda, is famous for its rock inscriptions and the
temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and Raghunath. Rudraprayag, at the
meeting point of Alakananda and Mandakani, is known for the Rudranath
and Chamunda Devi temples. Nandaprayag is known for the Gopalji temple.
Karnaprayag is the confluence of Alakananda and Pindar rivers and is
famous for its temples dedicated to Uma and Karna. The fifth pilgrimage
spot is Vishnuprayag, at the confluence of Alakananda and Dhauliganga,
where there is a very ancient temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, besides
the pool of Vishnu Kund.
Another
pilgrim site is the Panch Badri. Yogadhyan Badri, where there is a
meditative idol of Lord Vishnu, Bhavishya Badri, where there are forests
nearby, Adi Badri, where there are 16 temples and one big temple of
Lord Vishnu, are three of the most famous.
SITES NEARBY
Joshimath
is another religious place. It was established by Adiguru
Shankaracharya and named it Jyotirmath, which later came to be known as
Joshimath. There are other temples dedicated to Goddess Durga and Lord
Narsingha. Gobindghat, situated between Joshimath and Badrinath, is an
important place for the trekkers. Another very famous tourist attraction
is the Valley of Flowers, with the Pushpavati River and Rataban peak
nearby. Lok Pal Hemkund is a beautiful lake in the vicinity of the
country's highest Gurdwara, Hemkund Sahib.
Mana
Village, about 4 km away, is the last village in the Indo-Tibetan
border. Other places of interest include Vyas Gufa, dedicated to Sage
Ved Vyas; Bhim Pul, the natural bridge over the legendary Saraswati
River; the 122-meter-high Vasundhara Falls; Pipalkoti, a place of
natural beauty; and Chamoli, a retreat of serene verdure.
Governement of Uttra Khand Posted by: vipul Koul
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