Haridwar to Badrinath to Tungnath to Haridwar( 04D / 03N)

Badrinath Temple, also known as Badrinarayan Temple, is a well-known Char Dham Temple. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is located in Badrinath town. Along with the Badrinath temple, the Town of Badrinath has the Panch Badri temples including Yog Dhyan Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Adi Badri, and Vridha Badri.The temple has North Indian style architecture with stone walls and carvings, as well as a colorful and powerful entrance gate.

Shree Badrinath Temple is divided into three sections

• The GarbhaGriha or sanctum sanctorum,
• The Darshan Mandap where rituals are performed, and
• The Sabha Mandap where devotees gather to pray.

The Garbha Griha portion of the Badrinath shrine has its canopy covered with a sheet of gold. The complex has 15 idols, especially attractive is the one-meter-high image of lord Badrinarayan, finely sculpted in black stone. It represents Lord Vishnu seated in a meditation pose called padmasana. The Darshan Mandap is a place in the Temple complex where devotees and pilgrims gather to pray for good fortune. Every puja must be preceded by a holy dip in the Tapta Kund. Unlike most Hindu temples, they are performed in the presence of the devotees.

Itinerary

Attractions of Badrinath and Tungnath

Badrinath Opening & Closing Dates

Every year, the Badrinath Temple opening dates are determined in the month of April-May & closes for winters in the third week of November. As a result, the temple is closed for 6 months every year, during which time prayers to Badri Vishal are held in the Narsimha temple in Joshimath. This year Badrinath Temple has been closed for winter and will open again in April-May 2023.

Generally, the priests announce the dates for the opening of Badrinath Temple on Basant Panchami.Badrinath remains open for pilgrims from April-May till October-November and remains closed for winter months. Lord Badri Vishal worship continues to take place at Winter Abode of Lord Badrinath, Narasimha Temple in Joshimath.

Before the closing date of Badrinath temple doors, the priests light a lamp in front of the idol in the sanctum. It is stated that throughout the winter months, Narad Muni, who obtained salvation here, continues with the prayer rituals. the temple is reopened after six months in spring, the lamp is still seen to be flickering!

Places to visit in and around Badrinath Temple

Besides the holy shrine of Badrinath, there is much more to see. Soaked in the ambiance of mythology, some of the must-visit places in and around Badrinath are:

1. Mana Village : It is known as the last Indian village before the borders of Tibet/China in the Himalayas. Located in the district of Chamoli by the River Saraswati, the village is designated as a ‘tourism village’ by the state government. After the blessings of the lord, the village recuperates your spirits.

2. Tapta Kund : A natural hot water spring lying near the temple serves therapeutic purposes at such heights. The Kund is believed to be an abode of Lord Agni and lies near the Alaknanda River. The steaming water soothes the body and soul.

3. Charan Paduka : Among the must-visit sites in Badrinath, Charan Paduka is magnificent. According to the legends, the beautiful rock has foot impressions of Lord Vishnu. It is believed that Lord Vishnu sets his foot first on earth here.

4. Mata Murti Temple : This sacred Hindu temple is situated on the right bank of the Alaknanda River. The holy shrine is dedicated to the mother of Nar and Narayan. It is known to host two fairs in the honor of the Goddess that attracts a large number of devotees.

5. Narad Kund : In the embrace of snow-covered mountains, Narad Kund is a hot water spring. Naturally enclosed by a rock, the bay in the river is among the most prominent tourist attractions in Badrinath. The sacred place is believed to be the site from where Adi Shankaracharya found the idol of Lord Vishnu and founded the Badrinath Temple.

6. Bheem Pul : Named after the mythical character, Bheem the strongest of the Pandavas, the bridge is one of the must-visit sites. Built over the Saraswati River, Bheem Pul allows a glimpse of the beauty of the surroundings.

7. Ganesha Cave : Nestled in the Mana Village, Ganesha Cave is a naturally formed cave that is associated with one of the tales of the Mahabharata. It is said that Lord Ganesha penned down the epic narrated by Sage Vyas. Offering a view of the magnificent vistas of the Himalayas, the cave is one of the best places to visit in Badrinath.

8. Brahma Kapal : Of great significance to Hindus, Brahma Kapal is one of the holy sites in Badrinath. It is believed that Lord Brahma exists here to this day and if one pays homage to the site and performs funeral rituals for the deceased in their family one gets salvation from the constant circle of life and death.

9. Sheshnetra : Associated with the tales of mythology like the other places in Uttarakhand, Sheshnetra is a holy place. It is believed to be the place where Lord Vishnu took retreat as a snake by the name Ananta Shesha.

10. Vyas Cave The ancient cave on the way to the Mana Village is beautiful along with a touch of mystery. As per the legends, the great Sage Vyas narrated the Mahabharata in this cave.

11. Panch Dhara and Panch Shila : Of the revered sites in Badrinath, a group of five water streams that originate at Badrinath as well as five mountain blocks is worth mentioning. The five streams are Prahlad Dhara, Kurma Dhara, Bhrigu Dhara, Urvashi Dhara, and Indira Dhara. The revered blocks are Garud Shila, Nar Shila, Narsingh Shila, Varaha Shila, and Markandeya Shila, each with their own tale associated with ancient mythology.

12. Vasudhara Falls : Settled amid natural beauty, Vasudhara Falls near the holy city of Badrinath is one of the most enchanting sights. It is believed that one free of guilt can enjoy the bliss of the falls.

13. Alkapuri Glacier : The source of River Alaknanda, the Alkapuri Glacier is set at the base of Balakun Peak at 4,600 m. The marvelous beauty inspires devotees to feel its magic.

14. Saraswati River : Named after the Goddess of wisdom, the tributary of Alaknanda River flowing in Uttarakhand is one of the holy attractions.

15. Surya Kund : The hot water spring near Badrinath is situated near the famous Narada Kund. Here people take a dip in the thermal waters before visiting the holy temple. It is believed that bathing in the waters absolves all sins and grants salvation.

Tungnath

Situated at an elevation of 3680 m and on the Chandranath mountain,The highest Kedar amongst the five, Tungnath is a magnificent temple with an aura that soothes both eyes and soul. Tungnath is an important Hindu pilgrimage site that is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is where his hands are worshiped. The shrine is believed to be more than 1000 years old and is reckoned to have been discovered by Adi Shankaracharya. This holy temple is situated in the Rudraprayag District of Garhwal Region of Uttarakhand and is at a distance of about 4 km from the gorgeous meadow of Chopta. Like several high altitude temples in Uttarakhand, Tungnath can also be reached only by trekking, and the trail is quite an easy one,

However, it starts to become difficult when it crosses the temple towards the Chandrashila Peak i.e, the top of the mountain. The views from here are rewarding enough to compensate for the arduous trek. And even though the temple closes in the winter season, the trekking trail remains accessible throughout the year for the adventure lovers.

Our Tungnath travel guide is overflowing with information on best places to visit and amazing things to do, which makes it quite essential for the travelers looking for an impeccable traveling experience. Also, handcrafted for you are the varied holiday packages by Tour My India that ensure a vacation unlike any other.

Tungnath Temple

According to the legend that is associated with the Tungnath Temple, it is believed that the Pandavas started on their journey to find Lord Shiva after killing their cousins in the Kurukshetra war. However, since Lord Shiva was angry about all the deaths, he wanted to avoid them as a result of which he turned into a bull and disappeared in the ground with all his body parts scattered in different places.

His hump appeared at Kedarnath, bahu at Tungnath, head at Rudranath, stomach and navels at Madhyamaheshwar and jata at Kalpeshwar. A temple was built by the Pandavas at this place to worship Lord Shiva and please him. The name of the temple has been derived as 'Tung' meaning arms and 'Nath' symbolizing Lord Shiva.

The opulent temple is made up of stones adorned with decorations which are painted on the outside depicting tall towers. There is a wooden stage present on top of the highest dome which also has sixteen openings. The roof of the temple is composed of stone slabs and at the entrance lays a stone image of Nandi facing towards the idol of Lord Shiva. There is an image of Lord Ganesha on the right side of the temple entrance.

Inside the main chamber lies the ashtadhatu which is composed of eight metals, idols of saint Vyas and Kala Bhairav and the followers of Lord Shiva. There are images of the Pandavas and four other Kedar shrines present inside the premises as well. At the end of the trek path of Tungnath, the entrance of the temple is marked with the presence of the name 'Tungnath' painted atop an arch which has recently been constructed.

Chandrashila Peak

Chandrashila that literally suggests the ‘Moon Rock’ is the summit of the Chandranath Parvat on which the Tungnath temple of Panch Kedar is situated. The majestic Chandrashila summit serves as a vantage point that offers a heavenly panorama of the Great Himalayas.

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