Badrinath – Sacred Dham of India

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Badrinath – Sacred Dham of India

Posted On : Aug-02-2011 | seen (260) times | Article Word Count : 1026 |

Badrinath is a Hindu holy town and a nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state of Uttarakhand, India.

Badrinath is a Hindu holy town and a nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Badrinath is the most important of the four sites in India's Char Dham pilgrimage. Badrinath is in the Garhwal hills, on the banks of the Alaknanda River, at an elevation of 3133 m.
The nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport near Dehradun, about 317 km from Badrinath. The nearest railway stations to Badrinath are at Rishikesh and Kotdwar, which are at a distance of 297 km and 327 km respectively. There are regular buses operating to Badrinath from Delhi, Haridwar and Rishikesh.
Guarded on either side by the two mountains Nar and Narayan, the Neelkanth Peak provides a splendid backdrop to Badrinath, one of the ‘Four Dhams’. One of the most celebrated pilgrim spots in the country, it plays host to the famous Badrinath Temple. Legend has it that Lord Vishnu came to the area, called ‘Badri Van’, or the berry garden, to meditate after Narad rebuked the Lord for being immersed in worldly pleasures. The main deity is a meditating Lord Vishnu.
Facing the temple at the bank of Alaknanda River is a hot water spring known as "Tapt Kund", a bath in which is very refreshing to all travellers. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the temple of Shri Badrinathji, is 5 m high, built in the form of a cone with a small cupola of a gilt bull and spire. The temple opens every year in the month of April-May and closes for winters in the third week of November. Even though legend dates the temple back to the Vedic age, Guru Adi Shankaracharya has established the present temple. The temple has three parts - Garbha Grih (The Sanctum Sanctorum), Darshan Mandap (for pujas) and Sabha Mandap (for devotees to assemble).
Badrinath was re-established as a major pilgrimage site by Adi Shankara in the ninth century. In recent years its popularity has increased significantly, with an estimated 600,000 pilgrims visiting during the 2006 season, compared to 90,676 in 1961. The temple in Badrinath is also a sacred pilgrimage site for Vaishnavites.
Badrinath has been mentioned as a holy place in scriptures and legends for thousands of years. According to the Bhagavata Purana, "There in Badrikashram the supreme being (Vishnu), in his incarnation as the sages Nara and Narayana, had been undergoing great penance since time immemorial for the welfare of all living entities." (Bhagavata Purana 3.4.22)
Badri refers to a berry that was said to grow abundantly in the area, and nath means "Lord of". Badri is also the Sanskrit name for the Indian Jujube tree, which has an edible berry. Some scriptural references refer to Jujube trees being abundant in Badrinath.
The Garhwal Himalayas has some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Snow capped peaks, misty mountains, green valleys, gushing rivers, the stately devataru (deodar) forests, grassy slopes, abundant flowers and an amazing array of birds and butterflies all of which combine to make this place one of the most charming spots on this planet. It is also one of the holiest places on earth. The spiritual vibrations here cannot fail to be felt by anyone however insensitive. It is no wonder that this place is known as devabhumi - the valley of the gods.
The four main dhams or holy shrines in the Himalayas are Badrinath, the abode of Lord Narayana, Kedarnath, the abode of Lord Shiva, Gangotri, the source of the river Ganga and Yamunotri, the source of the river, Yamuna. Of these Badrinath is considered to be the most sacred. In the Bhagavad Purana, Lord Krishna tells his friend and devotee, Uddhava that in future he would be available only in the holy spot of Badrikashrama (Badrinath). He gave Uddhava his sandals and told him to carry them to Badrinath and keep it there for people to worship. These are to be seen even now. The Hindu scriptures say that the life of a Hindu would be incomplete without making a visit to Badrinath. It is the supreme place of pilgrimage especially for the Vaishnavites (worshippers of Vishnu and his avataras). According to the Padma Purana, the rishis found Uttrakhand (modern Uttranchal) to be indeed a glorious temple built by Nature for the worship of the Supreme.

From time immemorial the whole of India has been linked with these holy spots by a bond of consecrated faith.
Badrinath has a very ancient history. It dates from the Vedic period. It is a common belief that many of the Vedic hymns and the major portions of the Upanishads were sung first in this spot known as Badarikashrama. It is a place where countless sages and seers have done penance. No other spiritual place in India is called “ashrama” - a sanctuary for spiritual seekers. The whole land between Nandaprayag and Satopant is known as the Badri Vishal Kshetra. The great sages, Nara and Narayana are said to be practicing tapasya here even to this day. The Mahabharata mentions that these sages took a human birth as Krishna and Arjuna for the benefit of mankind. The Mahabharata also mentions that Krishna visited Arjuna in Badarikashrama and lived with him for a considerable period of time during their exile. The sage Vyasa also visited this spot. In fact the cave dedicated to him is close to the temple and this is where he is supposed to have written the Mahabharata with Ganesha as his scribe. It is in this cave that he collected the Vedas and divided them into four parts which he taught to four of his chief disciples. Many sages like Vasishta and Kanwa went there to meditate.
Five out of the six schools of Indian philosophy wrote their treatises in this holy land. It is no wonder therefore that every Hindu considers a visit to Badrinath as a means of liberation from this life of transmigration.
Bus booking is fairly easy nowadays on internet. If you plan early you’ll get budget bus tickets online. For online bus tickets booking you can check different OTA’s website. Search best bus service, compare and buy cheap tickets.

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<h1>Badrinath – Sacred Dham of India</h1> Author: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/profile_wejai.aspx'>wejai</a> Badrinath is a Hindu holy town and a nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Badrinath is the most important of the four sites in India's Char Dham pilgrimage. Badrinath is in the Garhwal hills, on the banks of the Alaknanda River, at an elevation of 3133 m.
The nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport near Dehradun, about 317 km from Badrinath. The nearest railway stations to Badrinath are at Rishikesh and Kotdwar, which are at a distance of 297 km and 327 km respectively. There are regular buses operating to Badrinath from Delhi, Haridwar and Rishikesh.
Guarded on either side by the two mountains Nar and Narayan, the Neelkanth Peak provides a splendid backdrop to Badrinath, one of the ‘Four Dhams’. One of the most celebrated pilgrim spots in the country, it plays host to the famous Badrinath Temple. Legend has it that Lord Vishnu came to the area, called ‘Badri Van’, or the berry garden, to meditate after Narad rebuked the Lord for being immersed in worldly pleasures. The main deity is a meditating Lord Vishnu.
Facing the temple at the bank of Alaknanda River is a hot water spring known as "Tapt Kund", a bath in which is very refreshing to all travellers. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the temple of Shri Badrinathji, is 5 m high, built in the form of a cone with a small cupola of a gilt bull and spire. The temple opens every year in the month of April-May and closes for winters in the third week of November. Even though legend dates the temple back to the Vedic age, Guru Adi Shankaracharya has established the present temple. The temple has three parts - Garbha Grih (The Sanctum Sanctorum), Darshan Mandap (for pujas) and Sabha Mandap (for devotees to assemble).
Badrinath was re-established as a major pilgrimage site by Adi Shankara in the ninth century. In recent years its popularity has increased significantly, with an estimated 600,000 pilgrims visiting during the 2006 season, compared to 90,676 in 1961. The temple in Badrinath is also a sacred pilgrimage site for Vaishnavites.
Badrinath has been mentioned as a holy place in scriptures and legends for thousands of years. According to the Bhagavata Purana, "There in Badrikashram the supreme being (Vishnu), in his incarnation as the sages Nara and Narayana, had been undergoing great penance since time immemorial for the welfare of all living entities." (Bhagavata Purana 3.4.22)
Badri refers to a berry that was said to grow abundantly in the area, and nath means "Lord of". Badri is also the Sanskrit name for the Indian Jujube tree, which has an edible berry. Some scriptural references refer to Jujube trees being abundant in Badrinath.
The Garhwal Himalayas has some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Snow capped peaks, misty mountains, green valleys, gushing rivers, the stately devataru (deodar) forests, grassy slopes, abundant flowers and an amazing array of birds and butterflies all of which combine to make this place one of the most charming spots on this planet. It is also one of the holiest places on earth. The spiritual vibrations here cannot fail to be felt by anyone however insensitive. It is no wonder that this place is known as devabhumi - the valley of the gods.
The four main dhams or holy shrines in the Himalayas are Badrinath, the abode of Lord Narayana, Kedarnath, the abode of Lord Shiva, Gangotri, the source of the river Ganga and Yamunotri, the source of the river, Yamuna. Of these Badrinath is considered to be the most sacred. In the Bhagavad Purana, Lord Krishna tells his friend and devotee, Uddhava that in future he would be available only in the holy spot of Badrikashrama (Badrinath). He gave Uddhava his sandals and told him to carry them to Badrinath and keep it there for people to worship. These are to be seen even now. The Hindu scriptures say that the life of a Hindu would be incomplete without making a visit to Badrinath. It is the supreme place of pilgrimage especially for the Vaishnavites (worshippers of Vishnu and his avataras). According to the Padma Purana, the rishis found Uttrakhand (modern Uttranchal) to be indeed a glorious temple built by Nature for the worship of the Supreme.

From time immemorial the whole of India has been linked with these holy spots by a bond of consecrated faith.
Badrinath has a very ancient history. It dates from the Vedic period. It is a common belief that many of the Vedic hymns and the major portions of the Upanishads were sung first in this spot known as Badarikashrama. It is a place where countless sages and seers have done penance. No other spiritual place in India is called “ashrama” - a sanctuary for spiritual seekers. The whole land between Nandaprayag and Satopant is known as the Badri Vishal Kshetra. The great sages, Nara and Narayana are said to be practicing tapasya here even to this day. The Mahabharata mentions that these sages took a human birth as Krishna and Arjuna for the benefit of mankind. The Mahabharata also mentions that Krishna visited Arjuna in Badarikashrama and lived with him for a considerable period of time during their exile. The sage Vyasa also visited this spot. In fact the cave dedicated to him is close to the temple and this is where he is supposed to have written the Mahabharata with Ganesha as his scribe. It is in this cave that he collected the Vedas and divided them into four parts which he taught to four of his chief disciples. Many sages like Vasishta and Kanwa went there to meditate.
Five out of the six schools of Indian philosophy wrote their treatises in this holy land. It is no wonder therefore that every Hindu considers a visit to Badrinath as a means of liberation from this life of transmigration.
Bus booking is fairly easy nowadays on internet. If you plan early you’ll get budget bus tickets online. For online bus tickets booking you can check different OTA’s website. Search best bus service, compare and buy cheap tickets.
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