Badrinath Sightseeing - Badrinath Temple And Other Attractions

Located on the right bank of the river Alakananda, the temple town of Badrinath is one of the four 'Dhams' which a devout Hindu has to visit at least once in his lifetime in order to attain salvation. Surrounded as it is by the Nar and Narayan mountain ranges and the Neelkanth peak behind it, Badrinath becomes snow bound with sub-zero temperatures during winter. The town shuts down in November and reopens in May. The main temple, Badrinathji, whose presiding deity is Lord Vishnu, is said to have done penance in the mountains of Uttarakhand. Though the origins of the temple can be traced back to the Vedic age, the present temple is said to have been built by Sri Shankaracharya who also founded a Math here in the early 9th century. From October to April, the temple remains closed and the idol of Vishnu is shifted to the Vasudeva temple in Joshimath. Facing the Badrinath temple is a hot water spring known as 'Tapta Kund'. Its speciality is that it has hot boiling water even when it is freezing cold all around. The spring is supposed to have medicinal properties and many people come to take a dip in order to cure their ailments. Narad Kund and Surya Kund are the other famous thermal springs here. Other places to visit include the Mata Murti Temple dedicated to the mother of Nar Narayan, Brahma Kapal - a platform on the bank of the Alakananda where last rites for the departed souls are performed, Sheshnetra- a rock boulder with the impression of the snake on whom Lord Vishnu rests and Charanpaduka; another boulder with Lord Vishnu's footprints.