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All as the apt tribute to Lord Vishnu reveres the five
Badris. Badrinath is devoted to the worship of Vishnu who, according to an
amusing tale, Usurped this place from Shiva. For Vishnu had come here as the
gods once did, to offer penance. He loved the place so much that he plotted to
unseat Shiva from his meditation here. He took on the form of a beautiful child
and began to wail. Shiva's wife, Parvati picked him up but could not calm the
child. Since his wailing continued to disturb
Shiva, he shifted to Kedanath in exasperation, leaving the spot free for Vishnu
to occupy. But remainders of Shiva's stay continue to linger, most visibly in
the name, badri, a kind of berry that Shiva was most fond of, and the gigantic
tree, invisible to the mortal eye, that served Shiva. Considered one of the
Char Dham or four principal places of Hindu worship, Badrinath's four
subsidiary badris include Bhavishya Badri, Yogdhyan Badri, Vridht Badri, and
Adi Badri.
Panch Kedar:
The five Kedar lies in the valleys between the rivers
Bhagirathi and Alaknanda. The term Kedar itself means a natural rock formation
or a glacial moraine. According to legend, Kedarnath, the chief seat of the
Panch Kedar, come into being during the period when the five Pandava brothers
were asked to seek Shiva's blessings, purging them off sin of fratricide, or
killing their cousin brothers in the terrifying battle of Kurukshetra. Shiva
disguised himself as a bull and started to plunge underground when he was
spotted by Pandavas. No wonder the natural rock formation that is worshipped
here resembles the rump of bull. The other four places where Shiva is
worshipped take their appearance from different part of his body - the navel at
Madmaheshwar, the arm at Tungnath, the face at Rudranath, and the matted hair
at Kalpeshwar.
Yamunotri:
The shrine of Yamunotri,situated at an elevation of
about 3,235 mt is a point of paramount religious importance for Hindus and an
essential pilgrimage. Situated in the direction opposite to Gangotri,the road
bifurcates froma place called Dharasu,somewhere between Rishikesh- Uttarkashi
and goes on to Yamunotri.The shrine can also be visited via mussoorie and
Barkot.
Panch Prayag:
Panch Prayag, confluence of most sacred rivers, is
considered the epitome of immortal piety. River confluences in India are
considered very sacred, especially since rivers themselves are extolled ad
goddesses. And outside of Prayag, the great confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and
the mythical Saraswati at Allahabad, the most revered confluences are in the
Garhwal Himalayas. Since the two mighty rivers and tributaries trace their
source to these mountains, the points at which they meet are sanctified as
major pilgrimage centers. It is here that propitiatory and cleansing ceremonies
are performed as part of the tenets of Hindu religion. Five Prayags are Vishnu
Prayag, Nand Prayag, Karna Prayag, Rudra Prayag and Deo Prayag.
Gangotri:
 Panch
Prayag, confluence of most sacred rivers, is considered the epitome of immortal
piety. River confluences in India are considered very sacred, especially since
rivers themselves are extolled ad goddesses. And outside of Prayag, the great
confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati at Allahabad, the
most revered confluences are in the Garhwal Himalayas. Since the two mighty
rivers and tributaries trace their source to these mountains, the points at
which they meet are sanctified as major pilgrimage centers. It is here that
propitiatory and cleansing ceremonies are performed as part of the tenets of
Hindu religion. Five Prayags are Vishnu Prayag, Nand Prayag, Karna Prayag,
Rudra Prayag and Deo Prayag.
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