Badrinath | Uttarakhand | India

Uttarakhand | A paradise for tourists

Set in the north of the vast plains of India and generous and nestled in the quiet serenity and beauty of the impressive group of the Himalayas, Uttaranchal - the Devbhumi (Land of the Gods) has attracted tourists and pilgrims from around the world from time immemorial. Sacred pilgrimages of different religions, including the Char Dham, famous throughout the world, or the four Hindu pilgrimage destinations, Shri Badrinath - Kedarnath - Gangotri-Yamunotri, the sacred pilgrimage to Hemkund Sikh - Lokpal, Nanakmatta and Meetha - Reetha Sahib Kaliya and Piran have attracted pilgrims and all who seek spiritual fulfillment to Uttaranchal always.

General Information

Capital:	Dehradun
Area:	53,483 km ²
Population:	9.396.000 (2008)
Spoken languages	Hindi (Official Language), Pahari, Urdu, Panjabi, Bengalisch, Nepali, English
For more information	gov.ua.nic.in

The holy river Ganges and the Yamuna have their source in the hills within this state. The rich cultural traditions, the rare beauty of nature and the mild climate and invigorating in this land of origin of the sacred Ganges and the Yamuna have always been the main attractions. 

The Queen of hills, Mussoorie, the Lake Region Indians-Nainital, Kausani, Pauri, Lansdowne, Ranikhet, Almora, Pithoragarh, Munsyari and many other attractions for tourists are part of Uttaranchal. 

The Uttaranchal is a paradise for adventure sports. The wide variety of activities ranging from mountaineering (Bhagirathi, Chowkhamba, Nanda Devi, Kamet, Pindari, Sahastrataal, Milam, Kafni, Khatling, Gaumukh), trekking, skiing (Auli, Dayara, Bugyal, Munsyari, Mundal) skating, water sports (in all the lakes and rivers including the Tehri Dam nell'Uttaranchal) to air sports such as parasailing and hang gliding (Pithoragarh, Jolly Grant, Pauri) make Uttaranchal one of the most desirable for the fanatics of the sport of adventure.

In addition to the famous Corbett National Park, Uttaranchal has some breathtaking places for tourism in the wilderness. They are the Rajaji National Park, the Govind Pashu Vihar, Asan Barrage, Chilla and Saptarishi Ashram, the last four popular with bird watchers.

Places to Visit at Uttarakhand

Badrinath

(Badrinath is the seat of the Hindu god Lord Vishnu)

Badrinath is a sacred place of Hindus who believe they are the abode of Lord Vishnu. The town of Badrinath is on a stretch of 3 km in a valley between two mountain ranges: Nar and Narayan, at an altitude of 3,133 meters and only 44 km from Joshimath in Uttranchal, India. Here the mountains are impressive, but not rugged or steep, unlike the range Gharwal. They are green as lawns and fall gently to the valley. It seems that they thought Badrinath cradle like a baby. The color of the mountains is a stark contrast to the clear blue sky and snow-capped mountain ranges add to the color on the canvas. The Alaknanda River runs through the valley, and every stone has a story to tell. Badrinath is a place of legends.

The Neelkhant powerful is a pyramid-shaped snowy peak above Badrinath, which is commonly known as the Queen Garhwal and offers a spectacular view. The sacred temple is on the other side of the Alaknanda and the door of the temple (Singh Dwar) is curved, with bright colors in stark contrast with the Green Mountain and blue sky background.

The 15 meter high cone-shaped temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu in Badrinath and was established by Guru Adi Shankaracharya. A particularly interesting feature is the image of a meter in height Badrinath finely sculpted in black stone. It represents Lord Vishnu seated in meditative pose. Before offering the prayer in the temple, pilgrims take a holy dip in natural hot springs on the banks of the river Alaknanda Tapt-Kund. The water of the Kund is believed to have medicinal properties.

The Ashram Sheshnetra is just 1.5 km away from Badrinath temple. The sacred Spatic Shiv Ling, who is the frozen ice that has turned to stone over the years, is the main attraction of the Ashram.

In addition to a destination along the religious pilgrimage Char Dham, Badrinath is also appreciated for its scenic beauty and impressive recreational spot. You can go to Badrinath from Mana Village, located at a distance of 4 km from Badrinath to the Indo-Tibetan border. Inhabited by a tribe of Indo-Mangolian, it is considered to be the last Indian village before Tibet on this route. The huts of this tribe are made of stone and their dress is similar to the traditional Tibetan style. These people live here for just six months and cultivate their lands, through the warmer lowland areas in winter. Heavy snowfall cuts off this area from all over the world. Even Badrinath temple is closed from October to April due to the harsh winter, and during this period was the idol worshiped in Joshimath.

Badrinath city is a major attraction for most of the campers and hikers for its natural beauty. Moreover, according to legend Badrinath is the last country where the Pandavas took refuge before resuming their journey to heaven. In addition to the famous Owl vayas, the Bhim Pul and the Draupadi temple, this place is also the source of the Saraswati river and Vasundhara Falls-a waterfall of 122 meters high, which constitute an important part of the pilgrimage to Badrinath. This sacred place in the lap of the Himalayas is not only for religious souls, but also nature lovers.

Odds n 'Ends

The best time to visit Badrinath is in the months of May to October. Lane is always needed here and during the heavy winter wools are needed.

Joshimath is the nearest drain, which is located at a height of 6000 feet above sea level. And 'the last stop for all those who go to Badrinath and Hemkund. Km uphill from Joshimath Few is a favorite of trekkers: Auli. The Himalayan peaks are most prominently seen from Auli, and this area is also home to many ayurvedic medicines whose plants have been grown.