Badrinath Part 1 – A Drive Along With the Sacred River Ganga

An Unplanned Trip to Badrinath and India’s Last Village

To Badrinath – A 350 km ride through mountains on one side and a river on the other side, and for the entire stretch, the river — a sacred one, religiously famous for ages — was playing hide and seek throughout the journey. Sometimes it felt like I was following it, and at some moments it felt the opposite.

Eventually, I fell in love with this river, seeing its different shapes and forms all along the way — a total of 700 kilometres up and down to one of the farthest places in India, farther up near the border in the Himalayas.

That’s the summary of my trip to Badrinath. It was an unplanned one on a Diwali holiday, just before the start of winter, but it turned out to be one of the most blessed trips of my life — fully worth it for being in a temple that not many people could even dream of visiting, and for the tough part of the journey required to reach there.

At 3300 Meters, a Temple Surrounded by the Mighty Himalayas

Badrinath, which is one of the most divine places on earth for many reasons and with a lot of legends to claim its importance, is in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand — a state known as Devbhumi or the Land of Gods, covered by the beautiful Himalayas.

It is around 550 km away from Delhi, the capital city of India. The temple is situated at an altitude of 3300 meters, which is one of the highest for any temple in India. The profile of the road to reach there is something that can be called a “see it to believe it” category, especially the 44 km stretch from Joshimath to the shrine.

Joshimath is the base station for Badrinath travellers. In fact, the travel to Badrinath can even be termed as trekking, considering the steepness and the level difference between these two locations — Joshimath and Badrinath — where the holy temple is located.

A Visit to Badrinath – A 700 km Ride That Stays With You for Life

Haridwar and Rishikesh will come on the way while travelling from Delhi to Badrinath. The first 200 kilometres till Haridwar can be covered in almost four to five hours, but the next 300 km from there to Joshimath will take anywhere between 11 to 12 hours. The time difference taken for these respective distances will give some clue about the tough terrain of this particular state.

On an honest note, this place was of quite an interest to me, and I really enjoyed every moment I was here — precisely from Rishikesh to Rishikesh, a distance of 700 km — in between which Badrinath is situated on the banks of the River Alaknanda.

Badrinath – Part of the Chardham Pilgrimage

Badrinath is part of the Chardham pilgrimage situated in the North, a religious trip to four temples lying in the four directions of India. The other three are Rameswaram in the South, Puri in the East, and Dwarka in the West. Due to snowfall during winter, this temple remains closed for 6 months of the year. From a casual talk with a local, it is learned that most of the buildings will be covered with snow almost up to their entire height.

Once at Rishikesh, approximately 35 km from Haridwar, the holy river Ganga joins us in our journey, or probably we join it. Rishikesh is famous for rafting, and if we stop for a while at a few locations, we can enjoy the sight of rafters oscillating along with the ripples of the river Ganga.

Beyond Rishikesh: Where Human Stamina Struggles Against the Challenges of the Himalayas

In the blog on Rishikesh, I mentioned that Rishikesh seems to be a location beyond which it doesn’t quite feel normal for normal human beings to venture. Though it was an exaggeration to show the importance of Rishikesh being a holy place of worship, once I crossed the border of Rishikesh and saw the road all along the journey — and then thought about the special efforts required by the people of this place because of an entirely different geographical terrain compared with city folks — then my assumption did not seem entirely wrong.

Most likely, the people with the greatest stamina in India, both men and women, might be from these places. I saw them walking or climbing uphill carrying heavy loads on their backs. Many houses were located deep within the mountains, far away even from the main road, and it’s difficult to imagine how they manage whenever there is an emergency.

Rhythm in the Eyes: From the River to the Mountains and Even Civil Construction

The natural beauty of this hilly place, where more than 80% of the state is covered with mountains, was something that could be cherished all the way, despite the journey being slow-moving compared with city roads. There wasn’t a dull moment throughout the entire journey, up and down, as each location we passed seemed like a different piece of art that nature had sketched.

The river on the other side always amused me whenever there was a clear view of it. Even in the roughness of its flow or the rough terrain it was passing through, it always carried a sense of calmness and the divinity it possesses.

There were many locations where we could stop for a while and enjoy the wholesome scenery as a whole. One such place was where a temple was situated right inside the river, and another was a stunningly glowing mountain far away, looking gloriously gigantic, golden in colour, and standing tall between two smaller white mountains like a victory stand.

Even the sight of heavy construction sites at some locations had a breathtaking appearance.

On the Last 44 km to Badrinath – A Diwali Night in Joshimath

Enjoying the scenic beauty of this hilly state, the exotic mountains, and the visibly appealing river, I reached Joshimath around 10 pm after leaving Haridwar at 8 am, following a quick visit to a few temples there. The road was mostly in good condition except for a few stretches where construction was going on.

The night in Joshimath was extremely cold when I reached the hotel, and despite that biting climate, many tourists were out on the streets celebrating Diwali. The small cityscape became colourful, the sky lit up, and the silence of the night was interrupted by the sound of crackers on Diwali eve. Yet, a peaceful sleep made me fresh enough to get up very early in the morning for the journey of a lifetime.

Joshimath to Badrinath – Ascending 1.5 km Through Hairpin Bends

The 44 km from Joshimath to Badrinath, with a vertical height difference of approximately 1.5 km to be ascended through a lot of hairpin bends, was a journey filled with every bit of adventurous suspense. Glimpses of the tough route ahead were visible within less than a kilometre after leaving the city.

I even had a sceptical thought about whether to continue the journey after seeing the profile of the route for many kilometres — in fact, it was not ahead but deep down on the right side, and then climbing all the way up again, most of it in a zigzag shape.

A Memorable Drive Under the Rocky Roof of the Himalayas

The terrain and the road ahead were such that not even once in this entire 44 km stretch was it possible to drive even a little fast. The width of the road at many places was just enough for a single vehicle to pass, and in some spots, rocks were projecting outward — since the roads were mainly constructed by cutting through the rocky mountains — giving the look of a rocky roof above the vehicle if we take a photograph.

Moving ahead, widening and road works were also seen at many locations. There was also a hydropower project in the river on the way.

A sad part of the trip was that I could not fully enjoy the vast geographical shapes or the visual treat that nature had offered — in the form of different landscapes, the beautiful river flowing on one side, and the close-up view of the glowing mountain I had seen the previous day near the Badrinath temple — simply because I was in the driving seat.

The post has become longer than expected, so ending this part here. The journey continues in Part 2.

Click here to go to the official government page for Badrinath.