Nestled amorously within the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, the sacred town of Joshimath spreads its celestial aura within the entire Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. The town of Joshimath is additionally nicknamed as Jyotirmath and is that the winter seat of Lord Badri, whose idol is brought down from Badrinath temple to Vasudeva temple at Joshimath. This holy town is revered by the Hindus for being a crucial pilgrimage centre of the country. Joshimath could be a place of heaven of great religious importance to the followers of Hinduism. Located within the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, it's the gateway to many exceptional Himalayan expeditions, including the pilgrimage journey towards Badrinath Temple and a visit to the resort destination of Auli.
Joshimath also happens to be the winter seat of the divine deity of the Lord when the initial temple becomes inaccessible thanks to snowfall. Joshimath is home to at least one of the foremost Indian army cantonments of the northwest. The permanent station is named the Garhwal Scouts, the scout battalion of the Garhwal Rifles. this can be the closest army station to the Indo-Tibetan border. The station served as a centre for the rescue missions meted out by the Indian army during the 2013 Uttarakhand floods. Other than its hallowed significance and military importance, Joshimath is additionally famous for being a stunning hill station. Vishnuprayag overlooks the bustling town, where Dhauliganga meets with one in every of Ganga’s great tributaries, Alakananda. Situated at a height of 6,150 feet (1875 metres), the bustling town is visited by pilgrims, tourists, and campers alike for the varied experience it offers.
Joshimath, also referred to as Jyotirmath, is that the home to at least one of the four cardinal religious institutions established by Adi Shankaracharya, an 8th-century Hindu philosopher, and theologian. The temple established here by Shankaracharya belongs to Lord Narsimha – a Vishnu avatar – and it's counted joined of the 108 “Divya Desams” as accounted by the Tamil sage-poets or Alvars. As far as political history is anxious, Joshimath was a part of the dominion of Katyuri kings, who ruled from their capital of Katyur Valley (modern-day Baijnath) in Kumaon. The founding father of the Katyuri dynasty, Vasudev, is believed to possess been Buddhist originally but turned to Brahminical ways of life after seeing vigorous Hinduism campaigns by Adi Shankaracharya. The Katyuri kings were succeeded the Chand kings within the 11th century.
Joshimath doesn't have an instantaneous rail or air connectivity and may only be reached via roadway. Below you'll be able to find the small print of the closest airport and railhead for the convenience of your journey.
The nearest airport to Joshimath is Jolly Grant Airport at 270 km away in Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand. The airport is well connected with direct flights from Delhi, Chandigarh and a few other major cities of the country. From outside Jolly Grant, you may get cabs and taxi services to rent for a visit to the town of Joshimath.
The railheads which are nearest to Joshimath are at Rishikesh at 254 km away and Haridwar at 274 km away. Being extremely popular pilgrimage sites and tourist destinations, both these stations are well-connected with the remainder of India. Cabs are available to hide the space to Joshimath.
If you move the road, you may not have to break the journey within the middle. There are buses from other major destinations nearby, like Rishikesh, Haridwar, Chamoli, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, etc.
The following are a number of the simplest places to go to in and around Joshimath.
Established in 1982, this place may be a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This forest is one amongst the foremost bio-diverse ecological hotspots of the globe. The park is home to the second-highest peak of India, Nanda devi national park, and an oversized number of endemic flora, like birches, firs, junipers and rhododendrons, and fauna, like Panthera uncia, Himalayan black bear, Tahir, musk deer, and a large kind of birds. a number of the prominent peaks visible from here are Changband, Rishi Pahar, Trishul, Dunagiri, and plenty of more. The park remains open from May to October.
Located right near Joshimath bus stand is that the age-old monastery established by Adi Jagatguru Shankaracharya and his disciple Trotakacharya. The opposite three are located at Puri, Dwarka, and Shringeri – within the four principal directions of the country. The one at Joshimath is that the northern Math or Uttaramnaya Math, which is to blame of the teachings of Atharva Veda – the fourth of the set of ancient Veda texts. Also called Jyotirmath, the full town gets its name from this revered establishment.
Temple Narsimha in Joshimath is one amongst the handfuls of sacred Badri temples located within the folds of Garhwal Himalayas and infrequently included within the Sapta Badri. The fourth holy incarnation of Lord Vishnu, a half-man and half-lion avatar called Narsingha or Narsimha is that the enshrined deity at this temple, which stands at lower bazaar area of Joshimath. this can be the winter seat of the Badri Vishal idol when the same old abode at the first Badrinath Temple, which is 40 km from Joshimath, is closed thanks to cold and snowfall. Thousands of Hindu devotees visit this temple per annum to pay tributes.
As mentioned before, Joshimath is that the gateway for several Himalayan treks heading towards different directions. While a number of the paths are too adventurous terrains like Kankul Pass and Bagini Glacier, others are tilted towards spirituality like Badrinath Dham and Hemkund Sahib. Here are a number of the foremost popular treks from Joshimath.
The best time to go to Joshimath is between the months of April and October. The temperature lingers around 20-25 degrees Celsius throughout these months, holding the weather mild and pleasant enough. Spring and summer are that the high season as a transparent sky promises great visibility of the faraway peaks. Trekking and other adventure activities like camping, hiking, mountain biking, etc. flourish in these months. Come monsoon, Joshimath receives a decent amount of rainfall. Heavy downpours begin in early July and last till September end. But at the identical time, it leaves the valley with a mesmerising, rain-washed look. Post-September to November may be a great time to trek because the fields are greener and therefore the flowers are made brighter with the torrential rains.
Winter too encompasses a different attraction in Joshimath. Prayers to Badri Vishal of the Badrinath Temple continue at Narsimha temple in Joshimath, and thus it becomes a part of the Winter Char Dham yatra regulated by the govt of India. the opposite three destinations of the pilgrimage are Ukhimath, Mukhba, and Kharsali, the winter seats of Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri respectively.
| Packages | Days | Booking |
|---|---|---|
| Chardham yatra By Helicopter (Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath) | 5N / 6D | More |
| Chardham yatra By Helicopter (Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath) | 2N / 3D | More |
| Dodham yatra - By Helicopter (Kedarnath, Badrinath) | Same Day | More |
| Same Day yatra - By Helicopter From Dehradun (Kedarnath) | Same Day | More |
