Badrinath facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Badrinath
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Town
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 Badrinath
Location in Uttarakhand
Badrinath
Location in India
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| Country |  India |
| State | Uttarakhand |
| District | Chamoli |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3 km2 (1 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 3,300 m (10,800 ft) |
| Population
(2011)
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| • Total | 2,438 |
| • Density | 810/km2 (2,100/sq mi) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Hindi |
| • Additional official | Sanskrit |
| • Regional | Marchha, Garhwali |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN |
246422
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| Vehicle registration | UK 11 |
Badrinath is a small town located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, India. It is a very important Hindu holy place. Badrinath is one of the four main pilgrimage sites in India, known as the Char Dham. It is also part of the smaller Chota Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. The town gets its name from the famous Badrinath Temple located there.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name Badrinath comes from two Sanskrit words: badarī and nātha. Badarī means "jujube tree," which is a type of fruit tree. Nātha means "lord." So, Badrinath means "Lord of the Jujube Tree." This name is often used for Vishnu, a major Hindu god. The area is also known as Badarikashrama.
A Look at Badrinath's Past
In olden times, people had to walk hundreds of miles to visit the Badrinath temple. The temple has faced many challenges over the years. It has been damaged several times by earthquakes and avalanches.
Many years ago, the town was very small. It only had about 20 huts for the temple staff. However, thousands of pilgrims visited every year. During special festivals held every twelve years, up to 50,000 people would come.
In recent times, Badrinath has become even more popular. In 1961, about 90,000 pilgrims visited. By 2006, this number grew to an amazing 600,000 visitors in one season! The temple is especially sacred for followers of Vaishnavism, a branch of Hinduism that worships Vishnu. Badrinath is also a starting point for mountain climbing trips to peaks like Nilkantha.
The Famous Badrinath Temple
The Badrinath temple is the main attraction in the town. It is a very important place for Hindu pilgrims.
Temple's Discovery and Design
Legend says that a wise teacher named Adi Shankaracharya found a black stone statue of Lord Badrinarayan. This statue was made from a special stone called Shaligram. He found it in the Alaknanda River. He first placed it in a cave near the Tapt Kund hot springs. Later, in the 1500s, the King of Garhwal moved the statue to where the temple stands today.
The temple is about 50 feet (15 meters) tall. It has a small dome on top, covered with a shiny gold roof. The front of the temple is made of stone with arched windows. A wide staircase leads to a tall arched entrance, which is the main way in. The temple's design looks a bit like a Buddhist temple, with its bright colors. Inside, there is a large hall with pillars called the mandapa. This hall leads to the main shrine area, called the garbha grha. The walls and pillars of the mandapa are covered with beautiful carvings.
Legends and Stories of Badrinath
Badrinath is a place full of ancient stories and legends.
Vishnu's Penance
According to old Hindu texts like the Bhagavata Purana, the supreme being (Vishnu) took the form of two sages, Nara and Narayana. They performed deep meditation in Badrikashram (the Badrinath area) for a very long time. They did this for the well-being of all living things. The Mahabharata also mentions this. In it, Krishna tells Arjuna that he was Nara in a past life. With Narayana, he performed great spiritual practices in Badari for many thousands of years.
The Story of Ganga and Lakshmi
One legend tells how the goddess Ganga was asked to come down to Earth. This was to help people who were suffering. But the Earth could not handle the great force of her descent. So, the mighty Ganga (Ganges) was split into two holy rivers. The Alaknanda River, which flows through Badrinath, is one of them.
Another story says that the area was once full of Badri bushes. Lord Vishnu meditated here. His beloved Lakshmi stood beside him, protecting him from the hot sun. She turned into a Badri bush herself. Because of this, she was called 'BADRI VISHAL'. And her lord (Nath) became known as BadriNath.
The Pandavas and Vyasa's Cave
The mountains around Badrinath are mentioned in the Mahabharata. The Pandava brothers are said to have walked through Badrinath. They passed through the town of Mana, which is 4 km north of Badrinath. They were on their way to Svarga (heaven), climbing a peak called Swargarohini. There is also a cave in Mana. Legend says that the wise sage Vyasa wrote the Mahabharata in this cave.
Spiritual Importance
The area around Badrinath is described in the Padma Purana as a place rich in spiritual treasures. It is also considered holy in Jainism. In Jain faith, many Jain monks are believed to have found spiritual freedom (Moksha) by meditating here.
Where is Badrinath?
Badrinath is located high up in the Garhwal Himalayas. Its average height is about 3,100 meters (10,170 feet) above sea level. The town sits on the banks of the Alaknanda River. It is nestled between the Nar and Narayana mountain ranges. The beautiful Nilkantha peak (6,596m) is about 9 km east of Badrinath.
Badrinath is about 62 km northwest of Nanda Devi peak. It is 301 km north of Rishikesh. If you travel by road from Gaurikund (near Kedarnath) to Badrinath, it is about 233 km.
Climate
Badrinath has a climate that is generally cool. It can be humid continental, which means it has cold winters and warm summers. It can also be like a subtropical highland climate, which is milder.
| Climate data for Badrinath, Uttarakhand | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 4.3 (39.7) |
6.0 (42.8) |
10.0 (50.0) |
15.0 (59.0) |
18.6 (65.5) |
20.4 (68.7) |
19.1 (66.4) |
18.6 (65.5) |
17.1 (62.8) |
13.7 (56.7) |
9.7 (49.5) |
6.5 (43.7) |
13.2 (55.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −0.3 (31.5) |
1.2 (34.2) |
5.0 (41.0) |
9.3 (48.7) |
12.6 (54.7) |
15.0 (59.0) |
14.9 (58.8) |
14.7 (58.5) |
12.6 (54.7) |
8.3 (46.9) |
4.5 (40.1) |
1.5 (34.7) |
8.3 (46.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −4.9 (23.2) |
−4.6 (23.7) |
0.0 (32.0) |
3.6 (38.5) |
6.7 (44.1) |
9.6 (49.3) |
10.8 (51.4) |
10.8 (51.4) |
8.1 (46.6) |
3.0 (37.4) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
−3.4 (25.9) |
3.3 (37.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 145.0 (5.71) |
139.0 (5.47) |
163.0 (6.42) |
77.0 (3.03) |
54.0 (2.13) |
102.0 (4.02) |
325.0 (12.80) |
312.0 (12.28) |
188.0 (7.40) |
63.0 (2.48) |
45.0 (1.77) |
67.0 (2.64) |
1,680 (66.15) |
People of Badrinath
According to the 2011 Indian Census, Badrinath had a total population of 2,438 people. Most of the residents were males (2,054) and fewer were females (384). There were 68 children aged 0 to 6 years old.
The town has a very high literacy rate. About 92.9% of the people in Badrinath could read and write. For males, this was even higher at 95.4%. For females, it was 79.7%. If we look at people aged 7 and above, the literacy rate was 95.6%. This included 97.1% of males and 86.9% of females. In 2011, there were 850 households in Badrinath.
Gallery
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Badrinath is one of the most popular and religious holy towns of the Hindus located at Chamoli district of Uttarakhand in India
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Badrinath temple at night
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Neelkanth Parbat from Badrinath
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Badrinath Town
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Himalayas in Badrinath, Uttarakhand
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View from Badrinath
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Sheeshtaal (Sheshnaag lake)
See also
In Spanish: Badrinath para niños
