Badrinath Temple

High in the frozen Himalayas, where temperatures plunge far below zero and blizzards rage for months, Lord Vishnu chose the most inhospitable place on earth to perform his penance. He sat in deep meditation on the banks of the Alaknanda river, completely exposed to the merciless cold, seeking to understand the suffering of all living beings.

Goddess Lakshmi, his devoted consort, could not bear to watch her lord suffer. She transformed herself into a Badri tree — a wild berry tree native to these impossible altitudes — and spread her leafy canopy over Vishnu, shielding him from the snow, rain, and scorching sun for thousands of years. So moved was Vishnu by her sacrifice that he named the place Badrika Ashram — the hermitage of the Badri tree — and declared it a holy place for eternity.

The ancient sage Narada once visited this ashram and found Vishnu being lovingly attended by both Lakshmi and his other consort, Saraswati. A jealous argument erupted between the two goddesses. Saraswati cursed Lakshmi to become a river — and she became the Gandaki, the sacred river that flows through Nepal. In return, Lakshmi cursed Saraswati to become a river too — and she became the Saraswati that flows invisibly underground.

Adi Shankaracharya rediscovered the sacred idol of Lord Badrinarayan submerged in the Narad Kund hot spring in the 8th century and installed it in the current temple. The black stone idol shows Vishnu in a meditative posture, flanked by Nara and Narayana. To this day, the temple closes for six months every winter when the entire region becomes completely inaccessible under deep snow.

Established by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century. The idol was recovered from the Narad Kund hot spring. One of the four Char Dhams and a Divya Desam.

Mata Murti Ka Mela celebrates the mother of Nar-Narayan. The temple closes for winter from November to April.

Features a brightly painted, vibrant facade resembling a Buddhist Vihara, with a small cupola topped by a gold finial. The idol of Badrinarayan is made of black Saligram stone.