Vridha Badri Temple

Vridha Badri, also known as Briddha Badri, is a temple located in Chamoli, Uttarakhand. Situated around 8 km from Joshimath, in the small village of Animath, the shrine draws a number of tourists round the year. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, pilgrims worshiped him in the form of an old man. According to the legends, sage Narad performed penance here and Lord Vishnu appeared in the guise of an Old man to answer Narad’s queries. Thus, the idol of Lord Vishnu in the form of an old man is installed in the temple, which is worshiped by the priests of South India.

It is said that the craftsman Vishwakarma carved an idol of Badrinath and worshiped here. But on the advent of the Kalyug Era, the idol was washed away in a flood and fell  into a nearby pond, known as Narad kund. Later, in the 8th Century, Adi Shankaracharya discovered this idol and re-installed it in the temple. It is also said that the original idol crafted by Vishwakarma is enshrined in the Badrinath.