PANCH BADRI
Panch Badri refers to the five places where Lord Badri or Vishnu is worshiped in five different forms. In the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, all the holy temples, various images of the Lord, are situated amidst the mighty Himalayas.
Uttarakhand is endowed with many awe-inspiring gifts of nature. And the fact that a large number of important places of worship are inhabited all over the place, gives it the name of ‘Dev Bhoomi’ (or Devbhoomi). The region is also famous for hosting many adventure activities, attracting thousands of people every year. Pilgrims who have lined the holy places for centuries and the current crop of adventure seekers together make Uttarakhand one of the most popular destinations in India.
Pilgrims come here to complete their Char Dham Yatra (pilgrimage to 4 holy places in Hinduism- Gangotri, Yamnotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath).
Traveling to Panch Badri would lead to a visit to the five holy places of Lord Vishnu and would be another type of pilgrimage.
Badrinath Temple is one of the major Char Dhams of India. It is an essential part of Char Dham Yatra, Chhota Char Dham Yatra and Panch Badri Yatra. In Badri kshetra –there are five temples in this circuit: Vishal Badri or Badrinath the most well-known temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Yogdhyan Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Vridha Badri and Adi Badri.
Vishal Badri, Badrinath
Among the most prominent Hindu religious sites, Vishal Badri or Badrinath is situated in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, at a height of 3,133 m. According to the Bhagavata Purana, “There in Badrikashram, the supreme being (Vishnu), in his incarnation as the sages Nara and Narayana, had been undergoing great penance since time immemorial for the welfare of all living entities.” (Bhagavata Purana 3.4.22).
It lies between the Nar and the Narayan mountains and is said to be the abode of Lord Vishnu. It is said that the temple was built in the 8th century by Adi Shankaracharya. Later, it was developed and renovated by various kings and dynasties, including the Holkars and the Scindias. The temple is one of the four Char Dhams (four important pilgrimages) in the state.
The mountains around Badrinath are mentioned in the Mahabharata, when the Pandavas were said to have died one by one, when ascending the slopes of a peak in western Garhwal called Swargarohini (literal meaning – the ‘Ascent to Heaven’). The Pandavas passed through Badrinath and the town of Mana, 4 km north of Badrinath, on their way to Svarga (heaven). There is also a cave in Mana where Vyasa, according to legend, wrote the Mahabharata. There is Vasudhara 5 km from Mana from where pandavas took bath before ascent to heaven.
The area around Badrinath was celebrated in Padma Purana as abounding in spiritual treasures.
This place is considered holy in Jainism as well. In Jainism, Himalaya is also called Ashtapad because of its eight different mountain range Gaurishankar, Kailash, Badrinath, Nanda, Drongiri, Nara-Narayana and Trishuli.
Rishabhanatha attained Nirvana on Mount Kailash situated in the Himalayan range and according to Jain faith (Nirvankand), from Badrinath numerous Jain Muni got Moksha by doing Tapsya.
According to Shrimadbhagwat, at this place Rishabhdev’s father Nabhirai and mother Marudevi had done hard Tapa after Rishabhdev’s Rajyabhishek and taken Samadhi. Even today footprint of Nabhirai at Neelkanth mountain attracts everybody towards him.
Yogdhyan Badri
A short distance away from Hanuman Chatti and Govind Ghat, Yogdhyan Badri is located in the Pandukeshwar village, around 24 km from Joshimath. Lord Vishnu seen in a meditating pose, is worshipped here. Thus, the place has been named “yog dhyan’ referring to meditation. It is said that the Yogdhyan Badri temple is as old as the temple of Badrinath. According to the legends, the Pandava brothers from the epic Mahabharata, handed over their kingdom to Raja Parikshit and retired here. Also it is said that king Pandu, the father of the Pandavas, had spent his last days here, doing penance, and hence the name of the village. Copper plates with old inscriptions, providing valuable information on the history of the temple and early Katyuri kings, have been discovered here.
Bhavishya Badri
Lying a distance of about 20 km away from Joshimath is a place that is often predicted to be the future Badrinath. Legend has it that when evil shall spread all over the world, the Nar and the Narayan mountains shall be blocked, and Badrinath would become inaccessible. Lord Vishnu is worshipped here in the form of Narasimha. It also stays closed during winter and opens along with the Badrinath temple.
Vridha Badri
Vridha Badri is situated in the Animath village, about 7 km from Joshimath. Legend has it that this was the place where Lord Vishnu appeared as an old man before divine sage Narada and did penance. Thus, the idol in the shrine is that of an old man. Out of the Panch Badri, it is the only temple that remains open throughout the year.
Adi Badri
Adi Badri is amongst the first of the Panch Badris. Many say that it is the temple where the devotees of Lord Vishnu offer prayers when Badrinath becomes inaccessible in winters. It is said that Adi Badri was established by sage Adi Shankaracharya. The complex has around seven temples that were built by the Gupta rulers between the 5th and 8th centuries AD. The idol in the main temple is made of black stone and holds a mace, a lotus and a chakra.
Disclaimer- The article is based on various tourism sites and provide an opportunity to viewers to visit these places.
Good information. I knew only about 3 badri’s
Very informative article. Keep it up
Very knowledgeable information, keep it up