Badrinath is a sacred place famous for the Badrinath Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It’s one of the four Char Dham and Chota Char Dham pilgrimage sites. Located near the Alaknanda River in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, Badrinath sits among the Nar and Narayan mountain ranges, with the impressive Neelkanth mountain in the background.

The Badrinath Temple is perched at an altitude of 10,279 feet and is believed to have been established by the saint Adi Shankaracharya. Inside the temple, there’s a 1-meter-tall black stone idol of Lord Vishnu, considered one of the 8 swayam vyakta kshetras, or self-manifested statues of Vishnu. It’s also included in the 108 Divya Desams, special temples devoted to Lord Vishnu across India.