Yoga Dhyan Badri

Yog Dhyan Badri (Yoga Dhyan Badri) is an ancient and revered stone temple consecrated to Lord Vishnu in deep meditative dhyana posture, situated at an altitude of 1,920 meters (6,300 feet) in the historic village of Pandukeshwar in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. Celebrated as one of the sacred Panch Badri temples along the Alaknanda River, this historic shrine is deeply tied to the events of the Mahabharata.

According to ancient scripture, King Pandu (father of the five Pandavas) retired to this tranquil riverside location to perform rigorous tapasya to atone for killing a mating deer sage couple (Kindama Rishi curse). King Pandu installed the unique life size black Shaligram stone murti of Lord Vishnu sitting in padmasana (lotus pose). It is also revered as the birthplace of the Pandavas. During the winter months when Badrinath Dham is snowbound, the sacred festival processional idol (Utsav Murti) of Lord Badrivishal is brought to Pandukeshwar. Travelers visiting Pandukeshwar visit the temple to admire the ancient Katyuri stone architecture, rare copper plate inscriptions, and peaceful mountain vibes.