Joshimath is a small town buzzing with pilgrims and tourists who are heading towards the char dham, Hem Kund, Auli, Kuari Pass treks, or Valley of flowers. It is at a height of 6150 feet above sea level. Joshimath name was derived from Jyotirmath.
In the 8th century Adi Shankaracharya visited this place and founded the fourth Shankaracharya Peetha or Matha (monastery). The other three being Sringeri, Puri, and Dwarka. The matha in Joshimath is in charge of the Atharvana Veda. The head of the matha is known as Shankarcharya.
In the matha, there are shrines dedicated to Lord Badrinarayan and Goddess Rajrajeshwari Devi. A cave in which Adi Shankaracharya meditated is situated here.
A short distance from the matha is a temple dedicated to Lord Narasimha is located here. The Lord has been installed by Adi Shankaracharya. It is believed that the left hand of the deity is thinning day by day and the day the hand disappears, Badrinath will be inaccessible to people. During winter, when Badrinath temple is closed, the idol of Lord Badri is brought to Lord Narsimha Temple and worshiped for six months.
Next to Lord Narasimha temple is a temple dedicated to Lord Vasudeva.
Interesting places around:
Srinagar
Auli
Tapovan
Gari Bhawani Temple
Bhavishya Badri
Bhavishya Kedar
Place statistics:
Type of place: Temple town
Situated: Chamoli district, Uttarakhand
Transport: Bus services are regularly available from Delhi, Rishikesh, Dehradun, and Haridwar to Joshimath
Distance: The nearest Airport is Dehradun which is 298 kms away and Rishikesh, the nearest railway station, is 235 kms away
Facilities: Budget hotels and eateries are available
