Vriddha Badri

वृद्ध बद्री

Vishnu · Vriddha Badri

Animath, Joshimath, Chamoli district, Uttarakhand · Vaishnava tradition

The temple committee holds that Badrinath's image was worshipped here before Badrinath became one of the four dhams.

The story begins: “At Animath, seven kilometres from Joshimath on the road towards Pipalkoti, a temple stands in the shelter of a very large banyan tree.”

Read the story
Directions

At the gate

Getting there
Train: RishikeshAir: Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun

Not yet confirmed: visiting hours, dress code, phone rules, entry for visitors of other faiths, walking distance. Ask at the temple office or enquiry counter — and if you know, tell us. hello@aalayakatha.com

Full visiting details

Sthala purana

The story of this place

Told in: The temple tradition as published by the Shri Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee

Before Badrinath

At Animath, seven kilometres from Joshimath on the road towards Pipalkoti, a temple stands in the shelter of a very large banyan tree.

The temple committee's account makes it the older seat of Badrinath's image. Before Badrinath became one of the four dhams, the idol was worshipped here.

The account then moves to the turning of the ages. At the start of the Kali yuga, Vishnu removed himself from the temple. Shankaracharya later found the image at Naradkund and restored it — though, the committee notes, part of it is damaged.

A second story gives the temple its name. Vishnu came to this place disguised as an old man — vriddha — and played with the child Ganesha.

Between them the two accounts explain what a pilgrim finds at Animath: a Badri temple that claims the image's earlier history, named for the old man Vishnu became here.

Where this account comes from

In one minute

Why Vriddha Badri matters

Each line says who it comes from and how settled it is. What the labels mean

  1. The temple committee holds that Badrinath's image was worshipped here before Badrinath became one of the four dhams.

    Source for: The temple committee holds that Badrinath's image was worshipped here before Bad

  2. Its name comes from the account that Vishnu came here disguised as an old man and played with the child Ganesha.

    Source for: Its name comes from the account that Vishnu came here disguised as an old man an

  3. A very large banyan tree shelters the temple.

    Source for: A very large banyan tree shelters the temple.

  4. Its Panch Badri membership is disputed: Uttarakhand Tourism includes it, while the ASI's list of five Badris names Dhyan Badri instead.

    2 sources for: Its Panch Badri membership is disputed: Uttarakhand Tourism includes it, while t
    • Government: Uttarakhand Tourism, Panch Badri Circuit — names the set as Badrinath, Yogdhyan Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Vridha Badri and Adi Badri, as recorded in circuits.json uttarakhandtourism.gov.in · seen 2026-09-18
    • Archaeological Survey of India: ASI Dehradun Circle, centrally protected monuments of District Chamoli — Remains of Sixteen Temples, Adibadri (notification 1669/1133-M, 1920) asidehraduncircle.in

Shilpa

When you visit, look for…

Architectural style not yet identified

  • Sacred tree

    Banyan tree

    The very large banyan tree that shelters the temple.

  • Sacred tree

    Banyan

    Ficus benghalensis

    Described by the temple committee as a very large banyan sheltering the temple.

Yatra

Plan your visit

Darshan times

We could not confirm the opening times from the temple’s own notice, so we are not printing any. Please check with the temple office or the devasthanam before you travel.

Before you go

  • No dress code or entry rules have been confirmed for this temple yet. Traditional, modest clothing is always the safe choice; ask at the entrance.

Walking, steps and access

We have not yet confirmed how much walking or climbing is involved, or whether there is wheelchair access. If you are travelling with elders, ask at the temple office or the devasthanam enquiry counter before you set out.

Getting there

  • By road: Joshimath · about 7 kmAt Animath, 7 km from Joshimath towards Pipalkoti, per the temple committee.
  • By train: Rishikesh
  • By air: Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun

Routes are general guidance and not yet checked against an official source.

The order of darshan

No published source gives the order in which to visit the shrines here, so we have not invented one. Follow the queue and the temple staff.

Festivals

The temple’s festival calendar has not been sourced yet.

Itihasa

Through time

Two registers, kept apart on purpose: what the Puranas tell, and what the historical record shows. They answer different questions and we do not force them to agree.

In the Puranas and tradition

  1. Kali yuga

    Badrinath's image worshipped at Animath

    In the temple committee's account, the idol was worshipped here before Badrinath became one of the four dhams, and Vishnu left the temple at the start of the Kali yuga.

    Source for: Badrinath's image worshipped at Animath

In the historical record

  1. Listed by the Shri Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee

    The Bridha Badari temple at Animath is on the committee's list of temples. When it was listed is not yet known.

    Source for: Listed by the Shri Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee

Around here

Worth the detour

Also in Chamoli district

Sources

Where this page comes from

  • Temple administration: Shri Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee, Other Temples badrinath-kedarnath.gov.in · seen 2026-10-09
  • Government: Uttarakhand Tourism, Panch Badri Circuit — names the set as Badrinath, Yogdhyan Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Vridha Badri and Adi Badri, as recorded in circuits.json uttarakhandtourism.gov.in · seen 2026-09-18
  • Archaeological Survey of India: ASI Dehradun Circle, centrally protected monuments of District Chamoli — Remains of Sixteen Temples, Adibadri (notification 1669/1133-M, 1920) asidehraduncircle.in

Cite this page

Aalaya Katha Foundation, “Vriddha Badri”, Aalaya Katha, version last reviewed 2026-10-09. https://www.aalayakatha.com/temple/vriddha-badri-animath (accessed ).

Last reviewed 2026-10-09. How we label sources and confidence