On April 30th (Akshaya Tritiya), Uttarakhand’s yearly Char Dham Yatra, which includes Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri, begins. The pilgrimage starts on May 2nd with Kedarnath and May 4th with Badrinath, after the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines open. With its rich religious history and fascinating legends, Badrinath is unique among these hallowed locations. There are several customs involved in opening its doors. Now let’s explore some amazing Badrinath facts.
Three Keys Unlock Badrinath’s Doors
Three keys are needed for the great inauguration of the Badrinath Temple, which was the final to open during the Char Dham Yatra. The chief priest of the Tehri royal family, the Mehta community (traditional custodians), and the Bhandari community (an additional set of custodians) are the three separate people who have these keys.
The First Prayers
When the Badrinath Temple opens, the Rawal (top priest) is the first to enter, taking off the special garment that covers the statue of the god and carrying out the opening ceremonies. The temple only opens to the public following the Rawal’s prayers, following an ancient custom that has persisted to this day.
Signs from the Deity
The statue of the god is covered with a cloth and smeared with ghee before the temple shutters for the winter in November. The state of the ghee is assessed after reopening. It is said that having a lot of ghee represents wealth, whereas having less denotes the possibility of drought or flooding.
Badrinath’s Significance
Scripture claims that Lord Vishnu undertook severe penance at this location while assuming the Nar-Narayan avatar. The goddess Lakshmi shaded Nar-Narayan by becoming into a Badri (jujube) tree. The location was given the name Badrinath as a result of this miraculous gesture.
