Day 1: Arrival Haridwar:
Pick up at Haridwar Railway Station. Check in at Hotel Aarti, Haridwar. Visit various temples, Snan (take a holy dip in the Ganges). Evening perform Aarti (prayers) at Har Ki Pauri.

Day 2: Haridwar- Joshimath:
Drive to Joshimath. Halt at Hotel Snow Crest, Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Ltd.

Day 3: Joshimath - Govind Ghat - Gangaria:
Joshimath to Govind Ghat. Trek to Gangaria. Halt at Gangaria Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Ltd.

Day 4: Gangaria - Hemkund Sahib - Gangaria:
Gangaria to Sri Hemkund Sahibji & back.

Day 5: Gangaria - Sri Badrinathji:
Drive to Sri Badrinathji. Halt at Hotel Garhwal.

Day 6: Sri Badrinathji - Rudraprayag - Tilwara:
Sri Badrinathji to Rudraprayag. Halt at Tilwara Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Ltd.

Day 7: Tilwara - Rishikesh - Haridwar:
Tilwara to Haridwar via Rishikesh.

The Package includes:
(1) Accommodation on sharing basis in 4 bedded room.
(2) Transportation by 2x2 push back government bus.
(3) Vegetarian meals.

When Buddhism became the dominant religion in India, the idol of Badri­nath was thrown into the Narad Kund nearby. But Adi Shankaracharya retrieved it and re-installed the deity for worship. He appointed a Namboodri Brahmin from Kerala, Gopal, as rawal at Badrinath, which tradition still continues. The British Government took over the management of the temple in 1939 and, since then, Namboodri, Choli or Mukani rawals, all from Kerala, have worked under the temple committee appointed by the government. The same tradition has continued in independent India. Thus, the Keralite rawals are assisted by local vedpathis and priests from the local Dibri community prepare the bhog and help rawals in performing puja.

The presiding deity is a meditating Lord Vishnu in black stone. The original 3 ft x 9 inch idol has been damaged but during shringar, sandalwood paste is applied on the idol, which is gorgeously dressed in ornaments and flowers. Recently, a devotee contributed a seat of gold for the god. A group ofidols in the temple, which include Ganesh, Lakshmi, Nar, Narayan, Kuber, Uddhav, Garuda and Narad, form the 'Badrish Panchayat'. Ghanta Karn is also worshipped here as the protector of the region. Just past the Singha Dwar of the temple is an image of Garuda, the lord's vehicle. Traditionally, the yatra to Kedarnath is undertaken before coming to Badrinath. For the devotee who has been unable to do this, the temple of Adi Kedareshwar nearby is to be visited first.

From Rishikesh NH58 to Badrinath via Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, Nand Prayag, Chamoli, Joshimath and Govindghat

From Kedamath Trek to Gaurikund; NH109 to Kund via Sonprayag, Phata and Guptkashi; state highway to Gopeshwar via Ukhimath, Chopta and Mandal; NH58 to Badrinath via Chamoli and Joshimath

Note: A gate has been placed at Joshimath for managing traffic. It first opens at 6 am and then every 2 hrs till 4 pm. Pilgrims who reach Joshimath after 4 pm have no choice but to stay overnight in the town

Distances:
Rishikesh-Badrinath — 298 km Joshimath-Badrinath — 48 km Gaurikund (Kedarnath)-Badrinath via Ukhi­math — 250 km

Places to see en route
Devprayag (70 km from Rishikesh, 225 km from Badrinath) is at the confluence of the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers, and has famous temples to Shiva and Raghunath.

It is believed that the lamp lit on the day of the closure of the temple for winter, remains lit throughout, till the temple doors are reopened at the onset of summer, on which day devotees come for the sacred Jyoti Darshan. Devotees offer pinda daan for their ancestors at the holy Brahma Kapal Tirth, just outside the main gate of the Badrinath Temple, on the banks of Alaknanda, after which, it is believed, no other shraadh is necessary.
The original Badrinarayan Temple, built in the time of Adj Shankaracharya, has been re-built several times over because of damage caused by avalanches and snowfall. The present temple, with a gilded cupola, was built two centuries ago by the kings of Garhwal. Its main attraction is the Singha Dwar, which resembles a Tibetan gompa from a distance. Painted in very bright colours, it stands out in sharp contrast against the 15-m high stone temple, and the backdrop of mountains. Facing the temple, by the banks of the Alaknanda River, is a hot water spring that is known as Taptkund, a bath in which is very refreshing for all travellers. There are separate bathing enclosures made for men and women.

Timings: 4 am-noon, 3-9 pm Season Opening dates for the temple are fixed on Basant Panchami (Feb). The decision is taken by the Raj Purohit of Tehri Maharaj at the Narendranagar Palace. The day of closure is decided on Vijayadashmi (mid-Oct) by the dharmadhikari of the temple committee in Badrinath. Both the dates are announced by various channels of communi­cation to the public. After the gate closure only around 25 people remain in Badrinath for the remaining 6 months, including security staff and a few sadhus. After the temple closes down for winter in Nov, the deity is carried to Pandukeshwar (21 km north-west) for worship

Related info: Leather items have to be left outside the temple. Special pujas, which are performed by the rawal between 4.30 and 6.30 am before the temple is opened to the public, can be booked by paying money at the temple committee office inside the temple. Devotees can also arrange for special pujas to be performed on fixed days during the year, on their behalf, for the following 20 yrs. Enquiries and bookings can be made at Mandir Samlti office, Joshimath; Address: CF.O, Badrinath Mandir Samiti, Badrinath Dham, Uttaranchal.

The Mata Murti ka Mela is celebrated on Bavan Dwadashi (Sep-Oct), when the statue of Uddhavji is taken to the temple of Mata Murti, 3 km away, and brought back the same day. Krishna Janmashtami (Jul-Aug) and Badri Kedar Utsav (Jun-Jul) are also important events.
The five-day winter closing ceremony is an annual ritual. On Day 1, after a special puja, trie gates of the Ganesh Temple are closed. On Day 2, after a special puja, the gates of the Adi Kedareshwar Temple are closed. On Day 3 there is a special worship of books, after which the Ved path (studying the Vedas) and mantrochar (the reciting of mantras) are stopped. On Day 4, there is a special puja of Goddess Lakshmi but the gates of her shrine are not closed. On the Sth and final day, there is a special shringar puja of Badrinath before the main temple is also closed.

The statue of Lakshmi is brought into the main temple on this day, while the statues of Uddhav and Kuber are taken to Pandukeshwar on a silver palanquin, in a procession till the Badrinath Bus Stand, and thereafter by vehicle. Badrinath is the most well-equipped pilgrimage location in the Char Dham Yatra. There are arrangements to suit all pockets and tastes at Badrinath. The State Bank of India has an ATM that is adjacent to the shrine