Situated on the right banks of the river Alakananda in the northern province of Uttar Pradesh, Badrinath is couched within the two mountain ranges of Nar and Narayan, with the Neelkanth peak on the background. It is located in the northern district of Chamoli and the nearest cities are Rishikesh (300 km), Mussourie and Dehradun.
Badrinath is one of the four Dhams; a devout Hindu has to visit in his lifetime to attain salvation. One of Hinduism's holiest sites, it was founded by Sri Shankaracharya, in the ninth century. The temple, also known as Badri Narayan, is dedicated to Vishnu, who is said to have done penance in the mythical Brindavan that once covered the mountains of Uttarakhand.
Known as 'Tapobhumi', a land of meditation and penance, and 'Bhubaikunth', heaven on earth, it is surrounded on either side, by two mountain ranges known as Nar and Narayan, with the Neelkanth peak, providing a spectacular backdrop. Facing the Badrinath temple is a hot water spring, known as 'Tapt Kund'. Other famous springs, here, are the Narad Kund and the Surya Kund.
Badrinath is presided over by a Namboothiri Brahman from Kerala, the Rawal, who also acts as the head priest for Kedarnath.
