Badrinath, Hindu pilgrimage town in Uttarakhand, India
Badrinath is a small town at 3,300 meters in the Garhwal Himalayas, where shops, guesthouses and the famous temple spread along the road beside the Alaknanda River. The settlement is enclosed by the Nar and Narayana mountain ranges, whose snowfields rise above the buildings.
Adi Shankaracharya built the current temple structure in the 8th or 9th century, after earlier constructions at this site had been damaged by avalanches. Until World War I, the settlement consisted of just 20 simple houses that hosted the temple staff and helpers.
The head priest who manages the temple continues to be chosen from Kerala in the south, an old connection that traces back to the time of Adi Shankaracharya. This practice remains while local communities from Uttarakhand support the daily ceremonies and offerings for the many devotees who come here each year.
The temple complex opens from May to November, before closing in winter because of heavy snowfall and low temperatures in the mountains. Reaching the site means travelling on a narrow mountain road that sometimes becomes impassable due to landslides or bad weather.
The hot springs at Tapt Kund next to the temple reach 55 degrees Celsius and hold minerals that devotees believe have cleansing properties. Many pilgrims bathe in the springs before entering the temple complex.
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