History, Importance, Natural Environment and Travel Guide of Vishnu Prayag near Badrinath, Uttarakhanda
Vishnuprayag is one of the five Prayag of Alaknanda River, and lies at the confluence of Alaknanda River and Dhauliganga River in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand at height of 1372 mtrs. Vishny Prayag is small town but major pilgrimage center of Uttarakhand and especially for temple of Lord Vishnu where Rishi Narada get blessing form lord. The other four Prayag are Nandaprayag, Karnaprayag, Rudraprayag and Devprayag. Vishnuprayag is located at a distance of 32kms from Badrinath and 16kms from Joshimath.
According to Hindu Mythology it is a place where Sage Narada mediated, after which Vishnu appeared before him. It is a belief that Panch Prayag on the way to Badrinath is the Svargarohana Route taken by Panch Pandavas on their journey to heaven. The Alaknanda River which originates in the eastern slope of Glacier fields of Chaukhamba, is joined by Sarasvati River near Mana village and then flows in front of Badrinath. It meets the Dhauli Ganga River which comes from Nitipas and they both meet in Vishnuprayag.
This place is the most visited place for pilgrims during their Uttarakhand Tour. An octagonal shaped temple is located dedicated to Maharani of Indore, Ahalyabai. A stairway of this temple continues to Prayag. There is a Vishnu kund near to the temple, many of the visitors, priests, pilgrims take a dip in Vishnu Kund before entering into the temple of Lord Vishnu. Another major attraction near town is the picturesque Kagbhusandi Tal or Lake which has emerald green water.
The River in Vishnuprayag has the most powerful current and it is strictly prohibited to take a dip in a river. There are numbers of Ashrams in Vishnuprayag where people love to visit and make themselves comfortable. This amazing town is surrounded by the Himalayan Mountains and it’s perfect for the adventure seekers out there to have fun with white river rafting, trekking, kayaking etc.
How to reach- one can avail taxis or buses (private/state) which leads to Joshimath and just 32kms from Badrinath and 16kms from Joshimath. From Joshimath there is availability of local transport to Vishnuprayag. The nearest railway route is Rishikesh Railway Station which is 261kms away from destination. The nearest airport is in Dehradun (Jolly Grant Airport) which is 280kms far from Vishnuprayag.
