vaishnava · Uttarakhand

Badrinath

श्री बद्रीनाथ

Presiding deity: Lord Badri Vishal (form of Vishnu in meditation)

Established: 9th century CE re-established by Adi Shankaracharya; deity worship far older

Darshan timings

04:30–13:00, 16:00–21:00 IST during open season

Average wait

30 mins–2 hours

Best season

May–October only (temple closed Nov–April due to snow)

Daily visitors

15,000–25,000 (peak: 50,000+ on opening/closing days)

Significance

One of Char Dham AND one of Pancha Badri AND of 108 Divya Desams. Vishnu meditated here under a Badri tree as Parvati shielded him from snow.

Legend

Originally a Shiva site (Lord Shiva and Parvati lived here as Adi-Kailash). Vishnu requested it for his meditation; Shiva moved to Kedarnath. The Tapt Kund (hot spring) below temple stays at 55°C year-round despite freezing surroundings.

How to reach

Rishikesh → Devprayag → Joshimath → Badrinath (310 km, 12 hrs road). Helicopters from Dehradun and Phata.

Nearest airport: Jolly Grant Dehradun (315 km)

Nearest railway: Haridwar (320 km) or Rishikesh (300 km)

Where to stay

GMVN Tourist Rest Houses; Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee lodgings; many private hotels

Primary pujas performed here

Maha Abhishek
Geeta Path
Bhagavat Saptaha
Veda Path
Shayan Aarti

What to offer: Tulsi mala, mishri, dry fruits, panchamrit

Dress code

Warm traditional; temple at 3,133m — cold even in May

Photo policy

Banned inside sanctum

Modern access

Char Dham yatra registration now online via UK Tourism portal. All-weather road project nearing completion (2026) will make winter visits possible to nearby Pandukeshwar.

✓ Online booking available✓ VIP darshan available

Nearby tirthas

Mana Village (last Indian village)
Vyas Gufa
Bheem Pul
Charanpaduka
Tapt Kund