When God Calls

One of the most vital aspects of the Hindu faith is the power of pilgrimage. It chastens you that faith- as you see the young and the strong, the restless of heart and troubled of spirit, the aged and the infirm - set out to those treks to some sacred cave or temple or snow-bound mountain shrine, on terrain that would generally be the haunts of trekkers and professional mountaineers.

Badrinath, in the Garhwal Himalayas is one of the four most important shrines in the region for Hindus to make a pilgrimage to. Taking the route up from Rishikesh the pilgrims wend their way up lofty mountain ridges and forested trail to reach one of Hinduism's most holy pilgrim spots. Located very close to the source of the Alaknanda River, the shrine was supposed to have been set up by Shankara in the 9th century. For a long time, the shrine was shrouded in a veil of myths and legends, but with the army road opening up access from Joshimath , a grubby little township has grown up around this region which lies in a blindingly beautiful valley under the shadow of the Nilkanth peak

Bet you don't know
Did you know that the Badrinath temple is still presided over by a Nambhudhiri priest from Kerala

HOW TO REACH
Rail

Rishikesh Railhead : 292 km. See Rishikesh for rail connections.

Road

Badrinath is connected by road to Rishikesh, Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri, Tehri, Uttarkashi, Nainital and Almora. Some of the major road distance are : Delhi - 518 km, Rishikesh - 297 km, Joshimath - 42 km, Haridwar - 321 km, Karnprayag - 123 km, Rudraprayag - 155 km, Deoprayag - 225 km, Dehradun 343 km.

GETTING AROUND
Taxis/Dandies/Ponies

WHERE TO SHACK UP
Modi Bhavan (Rs100-150), and Gujarat Bhavan (Rs150-225), next to the temple on the west bank. Kale Kambli Wale's Ashram (up to Rs100), behind the temple, is also excellent value. The most comfortable option in town is the large GMVN Devlok (Rs225-350), at the top car park; GMVN have another, simpler, lodge near the post office between the two car parks, with dorms as well as rooms (up to Rs100-225),

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK
Local eateries/dhabas which offer vegetarian food. Non-vegetarian food and alcoholic drinks are prohibited.
The most atmospheric area for cafes and chai shops is the old section close to the temple, but the more commercial east bank holds a few more upmarket neon-lit restaurants, such as Kwality and Saket, along with numerous dhabas, none of them very special.

THINGS TO DO

The Pilgrimage- you can join a package tour on offer with a number of agencies, which organize pilgrimages all over the country or take one of the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam tours. You may, though, prefer to do it on your own with a bunch of friends. It makes for a perfect trek also. The famous and holy Hemkund snow-melt lake is within easy range and you might want to visit. Buses en route to Joshimath will stop and give you a ride part of the way.

Dedicated to Vishnu, the temple summons its devotees from the four corners of the country. Once the snows in the region melt away, the route is crowded with devotees who manage to smilingly cope with the obstacles Mother Nature throws en route.

Remember to book rooms for the night early- its crazy trying to get a room in the inn at the last moment. There's plenty of places to eat and lots of chai shops to quench your thirst.

WHERE TO SHOP