Lingda – Vegetable of Uttarakhand – This photo was taken at Pandukeshwar, Uttarakhand.

Dev – The guide enhanced knowledge by saying this is Lingda vegetable.

Badrinath visit was the original tour plan from Rishikesh, but I had to stay for a night at Joshimath because the next day I was meeting my tour guide. The next day after the meeting we planned to visit Pandukeshwar first and then Badrinath.

At 9:50 we started our journey from Joshimath by sharing the jeep and at 10:30 we reached Pandukeshwar.

Total journey/travel time from Joshimath to Pandukeshwar – 40 minutes approx.

Joshimath to Pandukeshwar is 18 km approx. distance. Jeep fare is Rs. 40 per person.

History of Yog Dhyan Badri as told by Rajan Prasad Dimri – priest of the temple:

Pandukeshwar is the meditation place of King Pandu. King Pandu was the ruler of Hastinapur and is popularly known as the father of Pandavas. He was a great archer. Once while hunting in the forest he unintentionally killed a sage who was engaged in love in the form of a deer. The dying sage curses Pandu that whenever he will make love to a woman he will die.

To get rid of the sage curse King Pandu arrive at this location and did tapasya (meditation). It is said Madri and Kunti queens of King Pandu also left Hastinapur. One day as Madri was taking bath in Alaknanda River, King Pandu got attracted to her and died due to the sage curse.

10 months later Madri gave birth to two children named as Nakul and Sahdev and later committed Sati. The two brothers – Nakul and Sahdev were handed over to Kunti by sages, and they went back to Hastinapur. Later during 12 years of exile in the forest, it is said Pandavas visited this place and stayed and did antyesti (Hindu funeral rites) for their father. It is also said Arjun did meditation at this location which made King Indra worried. He sent Pari (angel) to distract Arjun’s attention, but nothing happened and at last, Indra appeared and blessed Arjun. It is said Vishnu idol present at the temple is the one that was presented by Indra to Arjun.

There are three idols in the temple – Lord Vishnu, Goddess Laxmi, and Madri. All these idols are pratisthit (installed) by dharmaraj Yudhisthira. Actually, there is a shivling inside the temple and above shivling these three idols are installed.

Because in Kalyug devotees won’t be able to tolerate the bright rays of shivling that is why Dharamraj Yudhisthira installed three idols on top of the same.

Lord Shiva is the ancestor God of Pandu/Pandavas thus this place is known as Pandukeshwar.

Next to the temple is another temple known as Vasudeva (Lord Krishna) temple also established by Pandavas. And another temple is currently in the building stage is known as Laxmi Narayan temple.

Why is Yog Dhyan Badri the temple name – I ask the question.

Because King Pandu was doing Yog (meditation) and Badri Narayan (Lord Vishnu) appeared and blessed Pandu.

And festivals – I ask another question?

There are two festivals at Yog Dhyan Badri temple. One is ‘Devwar’ the day Kuber Ji and Udhav Ji leave Yog Dhyan Badri temple for Badrinath and another festival day is when Kuber Ji and Udhav Ji arrive.

Note: Badrinath opening date is decided by Tehri Maharaj’s Guru on Basant Panchmi day and the closing of the Badrinath temple during winter days is decided on Vijayadashami.

Knowledge enhanced. Thank you said I. Thanks a lot.

After visiting Yog Dhyan Badri temple and spending one night at Pandukeshwar the next day we started our journey towards Badrinath but finding one sharing jeep was extremely difficult. No jeep owner or driver was ready for Badrinath because they were saying while returning they won’t get passengers for Pandukeshwar. At last, we found one jeep driver but from Pandukeshwar to Badrinath he charged Rs. 100 per passenger.

The distance between Pandukeshwar to Badrinath is approx. 20 kms.

At 8:40 we started our journey and by 9:35 we were at Badrinath.

Total travel/journey time from Pandukeshwar to Badrinath – 55 minutes.

Many times I think of re-start a motorcycle journey but then I think am I traveling for myself only or I am traveling for myself and for tourists who wish to visit Uttarakhand. The local conveyance mode is one of the best.

Pandu, who was cursed by the most wrathful sage Durvasa, performed penance here in the form of a deer, hence this place is called Pandukeshwar. The pleased God said to the most beautiful Pandu, O Pandu, Dharam, etc. will be sons from your wife (Kunti). All sons will be transcendental scholars of Shastra Tattva. After listening to the words of Lord Vishnu and seeing him, Pandu felt himself to be grateful, and from then on seeing his God, this place was called Pandukeshwar.

A Sadhu Resting – This photo was taken at Lambargarh near Pandukeshar in Uttarakhand.

Lambargarh is approx. 3 km from Pandukeshwar. In the picture, one can watch snow-capped ‘Nanda Ghunti‘ mountain (as per the grocery shop owner) but Dev – The guide said – No, it is not Nanda Ghunti Mountain.

I met two sadhus Shri Narayan Giri (71 years) and Shri Pashupati Nath (50 years) at Pandukeshwar in a resting place nearby the road as we too stopped to rest after the long walk. They invited us for food but we had food, just half an hour before so we said thank you but the talks continued.

I was amazed to know they started their journey two and a half months back by foot from Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal, via Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, Almora, Garam Pani, Haldwani, Rudrapur, Bilaspur, Rampur, Moradabad, Nagina, Dhampur, Haridwar, Rishikesh and currently at Pandukeshwar only 20 Kms approx. far from Badrinath to complete Char Dham yatra.

Each day they walk between 12 to 21 km on average.

After visiting Badrinath, they will stay there for two or four days and then will restart their journey to Kedarnath then to Gangotri, and then to Yamunotri to complete four Dham. And back to Pashupatinath.

It will take them another 4-5 months to reach Nepal.

I asked him which Yatra he finds the toughest till-date.

Shri Pashupati Nath said – Narmada Yatra was the toughest. The Yatra as per the rules if one follows will be of 3 years 3 months and 13 days. One has to take holy water from Omkareshwar and walk on the edges of the river Narmada passing via Amarkantak till again they reach Omkareshwar. One does not have to cross any river because one is carrying holy water.

He said – We cross Madhya Pradesh from where we get the holy water and Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Shri Pashupati Nath is doing yatra since 20 years and 40 years of journey by Shri Narayan Giri.

One has to be strong-willed to start and finish such walking journeys.

Amazing – said I and a donation of a few rupees to them. Best Wishes!

Happy Journey!

Consume more lemon while traveling. Medical Department Chamoli wishes you good health on your arrival at Dev Bhoomi. Dial telephone numbers 252187, 252245, 108, and 102 in case of emergency.

Health Services – District Chamoli

(Health Department, Chamoli Wishing You Happy Journey – This photo was taken at Pandukeshwar in Uttarakhand)

The best of the four abodes surrounded by Nar and Narayan mountain ranges Badrinath is situated at a height of 3,133 meters on the periphery of the Neelkanth range on the right bank of the Alakhnanda River, the destination of all devotees, the most sacred pilgrimage of Hindu religion. The present temple was built by Adi Guru Shankaracharya in the 8th century. The 15-meter-high temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

(A Small Description About Shri Badrinath by Uttarakhand Tourism – This photo was taken at Pandukeshwar, Uttarakhand)