Completing the Char Dham pilgrimage was something we visualised around two years ago and finally in 2023 we were fortunate to accomplish that. It was a spur of the moment decision to go to Badrinath when we were in Devabhoomi Uttarakhand to visit Haridwar and Rishikesh, but we got greedy and wanted to try for more. We found a tour company who arranged for a car to take us to Badrinath by starting at 4 am from Haridwar and reaching there at 2 pm. Showered with cold water as it would have taken too long to wait for the hotel geyser to do its slow thing, and left straight for the temple. Spent the evening there and realized that we could have bathed in the hot springs at the temple. The setting of the tiny temple on the banks of Alakananda, with the Nara and Narayana mountains in the backdrop was ethereal. The crowds didn't bother us and the experience was very calming. We got to sit for the bhajans and the mangala aarati. The call here is 'Jai Badri Vishal.' The Garhwal Rifles, formerly known as the Royal Garhwal Rifles, are an infantry regiment of the Indian Army whose war cry happens to be Badri Vishal Lal Ki Jai (Victory to the Sons of Lord Badrinath).
The chief priest in this Himalayan temple is from Kerala!!! Shankaracharya apparently established this tradition. He is of course, dressed for the weather there and no way looks like a priest in the South of India.
The whole journey to and from Badrinath was very picturesque especially while crossing - Devaprayag (Alakananda meets Bhagirathi and both together are called Ganga after this point), Rudraprayag (Alakananda meets Mandakini), Karnaprayag (Alakananda meets Pindar). These prayagas (confluence of 2 or more rivers) are amazing to look at (pic attached of Devaprayag). I have also attached pictures from the Rishikesh Ganga arati.
The play of light on the Himalayas makes the same mountain look equally beautiful from different angles as one winds their way up along the narrow mountain roads. The glimpse of the snow peaks especially during sunrise is bonus of course. I imagined a giant Shiva with the Himalayas as his rough garments. Didn't bother to take pictures as it didn't look like the phone could capture the beauty and the mood. Badrinath closed for the winter about a week or so after we visited.
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