Narsingh Temple, Joshimath

Getting there

• By air

  Jolly Grant airport in Dehradun is the nearest, about 268 km away through Rishikesh.

• By train

  Rishikesh railway station is the nearest rail head, 251 km away, and the major starting point for the road journey.

• By road

  Rishikesh is the main starting point for the road to Joshimath, and regular buses run from its bus station. Joshimath lies on NH58, the national highway that links Delhi with Badrinath and Mana Pass near the Indo-Tibet border.

Why devotees come here

Narsingh Temple is the main temple of Joshimath in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand. It is dedicated to Vishnu in his Narsingh avatar and is one of the 108 Divya Desams. Its idol of Badri is worshipped here for six months while Badrinath is closed in winter.

Narsingh Temple is the main temple of Joshimath, a town and municipal board also known as Jyotirmath in Chamoli district. It is an ancient shrine of Vishnu in his Narsingh avatar, and one of the 108 Divya Desams, the Vishnu temples praised by the 12 Alvars, the Tamil poet-saints. The temple also enshrines Badrinarayan along with a pantheon of deities.

Local belief says the left hand of the idol has become as thin as a hair. Devotees believe that when Kalyug begins, the withering arm will fall off, and Badrinath will reappear at Bhavishya Badri. One old story tells of a king who cut the idol's left hand, and milk flowed from the wound instead of blood.

The presiding deity is believed to have been established by Adi Shankara. In winter, when the Badrinath temple is closed, an idol of Badri is brought here and worshipped for six months.

Tips for your visit

• From Dehradun airport, taxi and bus services run to Joshimath.
• From Rishikesh railway station, taxis and jeeps are available to Joshimath.

Questions people ask