Altitude
3,133 m (10,279 ft), Alaknanda valley
॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Badrinath Dham
नर-नारायण के मध्य, अलकनन्दा के तट पर — नारायण का हिमालयी धाम।
Lord Vishnu's Himalayan abode at 3,133 metres, where the Nar and Narayan mountains guard the eternal temple on the banks of the Alaknanda, beneath the snow-clad Neelkanth peak. The easternmost shrine of the Char Dham, reconstructed by Adi Shankaracharya — open only six sacred months a year. Let DharmikYatra arrange your darshan, travel, helicopter and stay.
Vaishnava Char Dham Tapt Kund hot spring Seasonal · Apr/May–Nov Senior & NRI friendly
Lord Vishnu as Badrinarayanश्री बद्रीनाथ धामॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवायOm Namo Narayanaya
3,133m
Altitude
8th C
Shankaracharya
~17L
Pilgrims / yr
बद्रीनारायण · The Vaishnava Char Dham
Lord Vishnu's abode in the Himalayas
Presiding deities: Lord Vishnu as Badrinarayan — a one-metre self-manifested black Saligram murti seated in deep meditation. Goddess Lakshmi, as the Badri (jujube) tree, gave the site its name.
ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Badrinath is one of the four Himalayan Char Dhams and the only Vaishnava among them. Lord Vishnu is enshrined here in his Badrinarayan form, a self-manifested Saligram murti said to have been concealed in the Alaknanda and recovered in the 8th century by Adi Shankaracharya, who reconstructed the temple and instituted the Namboodiri Brahmin priesthood that continues today — the Rawal (head priest) is still always a Namboodiri from Kerala. It is one of the seven Mokshapuris, one of the 108 Divya Desams praised by the Tamil Alvars, and the easternmost shrine of the Char Dham circuit. Pilgrims believe a single darshan absolves the sins of lifetimes and grants moksha at the feet of Narayan.
Deity form
Self-manifested Saligram murti in meditation
Sacred kund
Tapt Kund — 40°C sulphur spring
Heritage
Divya Desam · one of seven Mokshapuris
History & heritage
From Shankaracharya to today
Long revered in the Mahabharata and the Puranas as Badrikashram — the tapobhumi where the sage-form Nara-Narayana performed eternal penance — Badrinath was, by tradition, where the Vishnu murti lay concealed in the Alaknanda until Adi Shankaracharya recovered it in the 8th century CE. He re-enshrined it in a cave near the Tapt Kund, reconstructed the temple, and established the Dakshinamnaya tradition by which a Namboodiri Brahmin from his native Kerala serves as the Rawal. That unbroken lineage continues to this day.
The temple seen today, in colourful Garhwali style with its bright gateway (Singh Dwar), was restored after earthquake and avalanche damage by the kings of Garhwal and renovated in the 17th and 19th centuries. It is administered by the Shri Badrinath–Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC). The shrine opens shortly after Akshaya Tritiya and closes around Bhai Dooj with the Jyoti Jalate ceremony — a lit ghee lamp left burning before the deity through the snowbound winter, when worship shifts to Yog Dhyan Badri at Pandukeshwar and to Joshimath.
Reconstructed by Adi Shankaracharya · 8th CDivya Desam · seven MokshapurisRawal — always a Namboodiri of KeralaOpen Apr/May–Nov only
Darshan & rituals
Maha Abhishek to Shayan Aarti
A Badrinath day begins before dawn with the Maha Abhishek and ends with a lullaby as the deity is put to sleep. Pilgrims bathe in the warm Tapt Kund before climbing to the sanctum.
Darshan
| Maha Abhishek / Mangala Aarti | 4:30 AM |
|---|---|
| Morning darshan | 4:30 AM – 1:00 PM |
| Evening darshan | 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM |
| Geet Govind Aarti | 7:00 PM (45-min Vaishnava aarti) |
| Shayan Aarti | 8:30 PM (deity adorned with ghee mask) |
A VIP / Sheeghra darshan option is available at the temple. Timings are indicative and change with festival days, crowds and weather — message us and we will share the latest schedule for your dates.
Dress code & what to carry
Modest traditional attire. Heavy woollens are essential at 3,133 m even in summer. Leather items must be removed and shoes left at the entrance. Photography is prohibited inside the sanctum — phones are deposited at lockers — but allowed in the courtyard and near Tapt Kund.
Sacred calendar
Opening, festivals & closing
Badrinath is the last of the Char Dham to open and the last to close. The opening date is announced on Basant Panchami and the closing on Vijayadashami; both follow the Hindu calendar and are confirmed each year.
Char Dham season
- Shortly after Akshaya Tritiya (late Apr / early May)Kapaat Udghatan — Temple Opening Grand door-opening with Vedic chanting; date announced on Basant Panchami
- Around Bhai Dooj (Oct / Nov)Kapaat Bandh — Temple Closing (Jyoti Jalate) A ghee lamp is left burning through the snowbound winter; date announced on Vijayadashami
Festivals
- JuneBadri-Kedar Festival Eight-day cultural festival of classical music and dance
- SeptemberMata Murti Ka Mela Fair honouring Mata Murti, mother of Nar-Narayan
Lunar tithis for some snan are confirmed nearer the time. Message us for the latest schedule.
Divine Yatra, arranged
How DharmikVibes arranges your Badrinath yatra
No online checkout, no chaos. Tell us your dates and a real coordinator arranges every part of your Char Dham yatra — darshan, the Rishikesh–Badrinath drive or helicopter, stays and a guide. There are no prices on this page; everything is quoted transparently on WhatsApp before you commit.
Darshan & VIP entry
Smooth darshan with Sheeghra/VIP slots, Tapt Kund snan and a calm visit even on the busiest days.
Travel & helicopter
Rishikesh/Haridwar road circuits or Sahastradhara helicopter, paced gently for comfort.
Stays near the temple
BKTC guest houses, GMVN rest houses and verified partner hotels in Badrinath, Joshimath and Pandukeshwar.
Verified guides & pandits
Local guides and pandits for Brahma Kapal pind daan, sankalp and the stories of Mana, Vasudhara and Bhim Pul.
Full Char Dham circuit
Combine Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath into one well-paced pilgrimage.
Senior, NRI & solo-women care
Gentle pacing for altitude, a coordinator throughout, palki/pony assistance and timezone-friendly planning for NRIs.
Part of the ecosystem
The DharmikVibes Network
One hub in DharmikVibes — India's spiritual-tech ecosystem connecting devotees with sacred India.
Carry it in your pocket
Get our apps
Plan, learn and stay connected to your yatra — download the DharmikVibes family of apps.
DharmikVibes
Spiritual super-app
DivineAI
AI spiritual guide
DharmikGuide
For spiritual partners
Gita Sadhana
Daily Gita practice
संपर्क करें · Get in touch
Plan your Badrinath yatra
Tell us your dates and how many devotees — our coordinators arrange darshan, travel, helicopter and stays. We are humans, not a booking bot. There is no online checkout and no prices on this site.
+91 92203 52244 — Fastest reply — a real coordinator
Yatra & darshan
dharmikyatra@dharmikvibes.com
Travel & logistics
travel@dharmikvibes.com
Emergency
+91-112 · Police 100 · Tourist Helpline 1363 · Pilgrim Medical 108
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
When does Badrinath Dham open and close?
Like all the Himalayan Char Dhams, Badrinath is open only about six months a year. It opens shortly after Akshaya Tritiya (late April or early May) — the date announced on Basant Panchami — and closes around Bhai Dooj (October–November) with the Jyoti Jalate ceremony, the date announced on Vijayadashami. The best months are May–June and September–October; the July–August monsoon brings landslide risk on the Rishikesh–Badrinath highway and is best avoided.
How do I reach Badrinath?
The nearest railway is Rishikesh (295 km) or Haridwar (320 km) and the nearest airport is Jolly Grant, Dehradun (314 km), from where the road runs via Joshimath. Helicopter charters operate from Sahastradhara to the Char Dham. We arrange the full road circuit or helicopter and the transfers.
What is Tapt Kund?
Tapt Kund is a natural hot sulphur spring (about 40°C) at the base of the temple. Pilgrims traditionally bathe in its warm water before climbing the steps for darshan — a striking experience amid the cold Himalayan air.
Is Badrinath suitable for senior citizens and NRIs?
Yes. We plan gentle, altitude-aware itineraries with palki and pony assistance, a coordinator throughout, verified hygienic stays and timezone-friendly planning for NRI families. The helicopter option greatly eases the journey for seniors.
Can I do the full Char Dham with Badrinath?
Yes. Badrinath is the easternmost of the four dhams. The traditional circuit runs Yamunotri → Gangotri → Kedarnath → Badrinath. Tell us your dates and we will build a single well-paced pilgrimage covering all four.