Arrived in Badrinatha around 6pm after a twelve hour bus journey (about 300kms) from Rishikesh. The journey was spectacular with winding roads climbing through the Garwarhal Himalayan foothills, past small mountain towns and villages far removed from the frenzy of life in the lower regions. The Badrinatha pilgrimage complex is located at an elevation of 10,244 feet, on a small plateau traversed by the sacred Alakananda river and overshadowed by the snow-clad Nara and Narayana peaks.
Badrinatha is considered one of the four dhamas, or kingdoms of God in India, the others being, Rameshwara in the South, Jagannath Puri in the East and Dwarka in the West. Many celebrated sages in Indian tradition are associated with this place, and Shankara Acharya, the famous 8th century teacher of Vedanta, established a temple there.
The temple itself is about 400 years old and houses the murti or sacred image of the deity of Lord Badrinath, also known as Badri Narayana or Badri Vishal. His details are not very distinct due to weathering, since he was thrown into Narada Kund, a pool connected to the river for several years during the Buddhist period. The deity is said to have been discovered and reinstalled by Shankara Acharya.
With the help of kind friends I met on the bus, I was able to stay at an inexpensive Dharmshala (lodging for pilgrims) and awaken in time for the moon-lit, starry-skied, freezing wonder of early morning temple worship at 4.30 am in this realm known as devabhumi, or ‘Land of the Gods’.
