Badrinath Dham / Badrinath Temple / பத்திரிநாத் கோயில், Badrinath, Chamoli District, Uttarakhand, India.

The Visit to the Sri Badrinarayanan Temple was a part of Chardam Yathra conducted by the Kumbakonam Yathra Service. When we landed at Badrinath, there was a long q, waiting for (about 1.5 km) the darshan of Sri Badrinarayanan. It took us nearly 2 1/2 hours for the darshan. Originally, this part of this temple was written without much detail, so this part alone was separated and written as a separate post with more details. 

This Sri Badrinayan Temple at Badrinath is the 69th Divya Desam of the 108 Divya Desam temples of Maha Vishnu. Mangalasasanam was done by Thirumangai Alwar in Nalayira Divya Prabandham. This place is also called Thiruvathariyacharamam, and the same is mentioned in the Pasuram as Vathari - வதரி. 

முற்ற மூத்து கோல் துணையா  முன் அடி நோக்கி வளைந்து

இற்ற கால் போல் தள்ளி மெள்ள  இருந்து அங்கு இளையாமுன்

பெற்ற தாய் போல் வந்த பேய்ச்சி பெரு முலை ஊடு உயிரை

வற்ற வாங்கி உண்ட வாயான்  வதரி வணங்குதுமே.

...... திருமங்கை ஆழ்வார்  

Moolavar  : Sri Badrinarayanan

Consort    : Sri Aravinda Valli

Some of the salient features of this temple are...

There are sannadhi for Anjenear and  Mahalakshmi. 

The Badrinath temple faces east on the banks of the river Alaknanda. The moolavar Sri Badrinarayan is in sitting posture, about 1 foot made out of saligram, under a Badri Tree (It is believed that Mahalakshmi is a Berry tree). The upper hands hold shankha and Chakra, and the lower hands are in yoga mudra. Kubera, Narada, Udhava, and Nara Narayana are also in the sanctum sanctorum. 

In the praharam, there are 15 sub-sannidhis: Lakshmi, Garuda, Nava Durga (nine forms of Durga), Lakshmi Narayan, Adi Sankara, Nara Narayan, Ghandakama, Vedanta Desika, and Ramanuja. 

ARCHITECTURE

The temple construction is a combination of both South Indian and North Indian architecture, with dwarapalakas and bas-reliefs on the pillars in the inner mandapam. 

HISTORY

From the history, the temple was constructed by Adi Shankaracharya, who lived here for about 6 years from 814 to 820 CE and belonged to Kerala. Hence, the pooja is conducted by the Namboothiris from Kerala.

As per the Government website, Adi Shankara discovered a black stone image of Lord Badarinarayan made of Saligram stone in the Alaknanda River. He originally enshrined it in a cave near the Tapt Kund hot springs. In the sixteenth century, the King of Garhwal moved the murti to the present location of the temple.

LEGENDS

The hill on the opposite side of the Badrinath Temple is called INDRANEELA PARVATHAM and is also believed to be one of the Paadal Petra Thevara Sthalam. We could see the color difference compared to other hills during the time also (It will be in blue color during the early morning).  It was believed that Indran had worshiped this hill as Lord Shiva.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open for 6 months from April to November. Between 04.00 hrs to 21.00 Hrs.  And the best time will be May, June and July. 

 

An ice-covered mountain at the back of  Shri Badrinath temple (some claim this as Indraneela Parvatham, one of the Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam)

Shri Badrinath Temple 

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---