Badri group Temples in British Garhwal

British Administration in Garhwal   -192

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History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -212

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            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -1045

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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

         It is believed that Nar and Narayan sages did tap at Badrikashram (Mana Village, last village at China border).  Adi Shankaracharya established Badrinath idol in Badrinath temple. Agni deity (fire deity) lives in Badrikashram region by call of Badri and Agni keeps Water Kund hot there

      Besides Vishnu temple, there were temples of Lakshmi, Matamurti, other small temples and Shiva temple.

  Main idol is of Badrinath or Vishnu or Nar Narayan. Other idols in Badrinath temple, are Narsingh, varah, garu, Narad and Marak. Marak was a asur and he helped deities for defeating asur.

  There are other four temples under Panch Badri- Yogbadri, Dhyanbadri, Vridhbadri and Adivadri. it was compulsory for Vaishnava pilgrims for visiting all five Badri Temples. it is believed that there is permanent residences of devotees of deities Ganesh, Prahlad, Kuber, Narad, Ghantakarn in Badri region.it is believed that Brahma resides in Brahmkapal. People offered Pind (tribute to dead) in Brahmkapal. It was belief that Lord Vishnu appeared before real devotees in Chaturbhuj form (Four armed form).

       The Yogbadri temple is at Pandukeshwar and Vishnu is worshipped as Vasudeva. It was believed that there is gold in a Human form idol and that gold came from Indra’s heaven Kingdom.

  The Dhyanbadri temple is in Urgam. There is Vridhabadri temple in Urgam too. Urgam is related to Nag deity. Urgam is related to nag, Vishnu and Shiva.

  Vridhbadri is in Animath Gautam sage did tap here. Uma got name as Arpana because she did Tap here in Animath.

      There were many temples in Joshimath or Jyotirdham. There is Narsingh temple in Joshimath. Bhavishy Badri temple is in Tapovan. it is believed that when the road for Badrinath will be blocked in future, the worshipping of Badrinath will start from Bhaishy Badri. There were temples of Bhagvati, Garud and Vasudev in Joshimath.

    There were ten Narsingh temples in Garhwal.

       Rawal the chief priest of Badrinath temple resided in Joshimath. When in winter, Badrinath temple is closed for six months, the rituals for Badrinath temple are performed in Vasudev temple in Joshimath. Initilly, Dandi swamis used to perform rituals but in Jaikrit Shah period, Nambudiparad became priests of Badrinath temple. Rawal had three four assistants those used to perform rituals at Badrinath and Joshimath. Devprayg Pande used to perform rituals at Taptakund , Badrinath. In Brahmkapal, Hatwal, Dandi and Kothiyal Brahmins were priests.

    Dimri Brahmin were priest at Lakshmidevi temple in Badrinath. Maliya Brahmin of Tangani village were priests of Shiva temple.

  The chief priests of Yogbadri was Bhatt from Karnataka. Dimri were priests of Dhyan Badri temple, South Indians were priests in Vridh badri and Adi Badri.

  Mostly, in other Vishnu temples of Garhwal, Vairagi were priests.

   

                            Miscellaneous Vaishnava temple

      Triyuginarayan temple was very important Vaishnava sect temple. It is said that Himalaya daughter Uma married lord Shiva in Triyuginarayan. There were four hot water springs including Vaitarni Tapkund. It was belif that Nagdevta  appeared in one of Kunds and offer blessing to devotees. there used to be permnnet dhuni (fire smoke) in Triyuginarayan.

    There is Murli Manohar temple in Chandrapuri of Kalifat.  Chandramani Dangwal the minister and priest of Garhwal King Pradip Shah built the temple and the region called Chandrapuri. Chandramani Dangwal also built a Shiva temple in Dang village of Gayara patti of Tehri Garhwal. The stone scripts on temple indicate that temple was built in 1675 Sanvat (1618 AD).

     There was a Murlimanohar temple in Gulabkot built by Gulab Singh Rautela.

    There were Murlimanohar temples in Devalgrh and Vidyakoti. Vidyadhar Dobral built a Dharamshala and garden in Vidyakoti in 1706

  There were 15 Lakshmi Vishnu idol temples in Garhwal. There were 7 Narayan idol temples in Garhwal.

 There was big Lakshminarayan temple in Shrinagar. Shankar Dobhal built a Shankar math Vaishnava temple in 1785.

      Narayan Dobhal built Narayan temple at Shivanandi. Narayn temple were there in Simli village (Pindarparpatti),   in Adibadri Sili of Chandpur; Kotganv near Pauri, Narayan Bagad and Nand Prayag.

          Ram temples were in Givar, Shrinagar, Kothar (Lobha),. There is a Rampaduka temple at ramjasganv in Udaypur Patti (Gangasalan). People believed that Rama spent s ome time here in Vanvas and the name of forest is called Vanas. 

     

     

References  

1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan, part -1, page- 343-456

2- Atkinson, Himalayan Districts Vol.2

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Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India,bjkukreti@gmail.com 2/10/2017 History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -1046

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*** History of British Rule/Administration over British Garhwal (Pauri, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter

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(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

 History of British Garhwal, History of Devalgarh Garhwal; History of Badhan Garhwal; History of Barasyun Garhwal; History of Chandpur Garhwal; History of Chaundkot Garhwal; History of  Gangasalan Garhwal;  History of Mallasalan Garhwal;  History ofTallasaln Garhwal; History of Dashauli Garhwal; History of Nagpur Garhwal; Sociity  in British Garhwal. History of British Garhwal, History of Social Structure and Religious Faith in Chamoli Garhwal, History of Social Structure and Religious Faith of Pauri Garhwal ,  Social and Culture History of Rudraprayag Garhwal