Ganesh Tour and Travels, Haridwar, Uttarakhand

Badrinath

About Shri Badrinath Dham

The most important of the four sites that constitute India's Char Dham pilgrimage, Badrinath Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is located in Bardrinath, which is a holy town in the district of Chamoli in Uttarakhand, India. Situated along the Alaknanda River, Badrinath Dham is considered to be one of the holiest temples by the Hindus.

The main attraction of Badrinath Dham is the one meter tall statue of Vishnu in the form of Lord Badrinarayan which is cast in black "Shaligram" stone. The statue is known to be one of the eight self-manifested statues of Vishnu and is securely placed under a Badri Tree which has a gold canopy.

Brahma Kapal

Brahma Kapal is a flat platform which is of great importance for Hindus who perform rituals and pay homage to the departed souls and also offer Shraddha to their ancestors at this place. It is said that Lord Brahma exists at this place and thus if someone does Rituals and Shraddha Karma for the departed souls of his family they get salvation from the cycle of birth and death. It is situated just 100 meters north of the Badrinath Temple.

Brahma Kapal holds the mythical belief that it was at this place where Lord Shiva relieved from his curse of killing Brahma. It is also believed that Brahma's head had fallen off from Shiva's trident here at Brahma Kapal.

Vyas Gufa

Vyas Gufa is believed to be the place where sage Vyas composed the Mahabharata epic with the help of Lord Ganesha. He also composed 18 Puranas, Brahma Sutras and four Vedas. Maharishi Vyas statue is installed in the caves and worshiped by the pilgrims.

There is also an interesting story related to the place that explains the broken tusk of Lord Ganesh. When Vyas was composing Mahabharata, he needed someone to take down his dictation and asked the learned Ganesha for the same. Ganesh agreed but he had a condition - that Vyas would not stop even for a moment or else he would stop writing and leave.

Tapt Kund

At a distance of 1 km from Badrinath Bus Stand, Tapt Kund is a natural hot water spring located at the entrance of Badrinath Temple in Badrinath town.

Tapt Kund is the abode of Lord Agni and is famous for its medicinal properties. Before entering the Badrinath Temple, one has to take a holy dip in the Tapt Kund. The temperature of the water of Kund is 45' Celsius and there are number of hot water springs on the banks of Alaknanda River. It is believed that taking a bath in Hot water spring will cure all the skin diseases. Garud Shila is situated on the way to temple from the Kund towards the temple.

Mana Village

Mana village is a quaint tiny hamlet situated on the Indo-Tibetan border in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. This village is the last village of India on Indo - Tibet boarder. It is situated at an altitude of around 3219 m on the banks of River Saraswati which originates in a mountain near the Mana Village.

Mana Village is inhabited by Indo-Mongolian tribes known as Bhotias. The village has about 180 households and a population of about 600. The villagers are culturally associated with activities of Badrinath temple and annual fair of Matha Murthi. They perform an annual traditional act by offering a choli to the deity on the closing day of the temple.

Vasudhara Falls

Vasudhara Falls is surrounded by beautiful mountain peaks. The water of this cascading falls flows down from the height of 400 feet and is situated at an altitude of 12,000 feet. The falls is considered as a haunting site. There is a myth behind this waterfall that the water of Vasudhara Falls turns away from the visitors who are not pure at heart.

The fall looks stunning during monsoon & post monsoon season with lush greenery and beautiful mountains around. March to June is the ideal time to visit this waterfall. Mana is accessible only when Badrinath season starts in Apr/May, so the best season to visit this place is between May and June.

Satopanth Lake

Satopanth is a mountain lake situated close to Swargarohini Peak in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. It is situated at an altitude of 4,600 m (15,100 feet) in Garhwal Himalayas. It is one of the well known destination for trekking in Uttarakhand.

Satopanth is a triangular lake with three corners spread within the circumference of about a kilometer. The lake is surrounded by snow covered peaks and is named after the Hindu gods Mahesh, Vishnu and Brahma. It is believed that the divine Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh had meditated here and each corner of the triangular lake is named after them.

Sheshnetra

At a distance of 1 km from Badrinath Bus Stand, Sheshnetra is one of the popular holy sites situated in Badrinath town of Uttarakhand. It is situated on the opposite bank of Alakananda River. This is a large stone which is marked with an eye of a legendary snake and is one among the remarkable holy sites in Badrinath. It is said that Lord Vishnu took retreat on a gigantic snake named Ananta Shesha.

Apart from its religious significance this place offers beautiful views of the surroundings. Two lakes and the majestic river Alakananda pose an enthralling background to this boulder. This sacred site has the natural imprints on the rock. It is believed that Sheshnetra guards the holy shrine of Badrinath.