About Shri Bharat Mandir – Rishikesh
Shri Bharat Mandir is one of the oldest and most revered temples in Rishikesh, also known as the Hrishikesh Narayan Temple. The main deity is Lord Hrishikesh Narayan [Lord Vishnu]. Uttarakhand Tourism says the idol is carved from a single black stone, popularly known as Saligram, and that the temple stands near Triveni Ghat. Incredible India adds that the same Saligram stone was used for the idols at Tirupati and Badrinath. Hindus regard the saligrama as sacred, as a form of Lord Vishnu.
History
Incredible India attributes the main structure of the temple to Adi Guru Shankaracharya, as described in the Kedarkhand, and records that the temple was rebuilt after the Timur invasion of 1398 AD. The present exterior building was rebuilt by Maharaja Yashwant Singh of Nabha state in 1832 AD. The temple’s own website says the glory of the temple is described in the Kedar Khand (chapters 115 to 120). Sources differ on the century of Shankaracharya’s work, so no date is given here for it.
Incredible India also mentions that archaeological excavations unearthed a Buddha statue and other artefacts, pointing to a period when the site served as a Buddhist monastery. The Buddha figure is kept under an old banyan tree in the temple precinct.
Legend of Hrishikesh
According to the temple, Raibhya Rishi performed penance at this site. Lord Vishnu, pleased with it, said: “I will reside here for ever as Hrishikesh Narayan and this place will be known as Hrishikesh.” The temple’s account also records the words: “Those who worshiped me as Varah in Satyug, as Parashuram in Treta Yug, Vaman in Dwapar and Bharat in Kaliyug are certainly entitled for liberation.”
Temple Timings
5:00 AM – 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Incredible India)
Timings can change on festival days; check with the temple before travelling. Temple phone listed on its website: +91-135-2430053.
Festivals and Rituals
Basant Panchami: According to the temple, Adi Shankaracharya reinstalled the idol of Lord Hrishikesh Bharatji on Basant Panchami; the idol had been concealed in Maya Kund. Every year on this day the idol of Lord Hrishikesh Narayan is taken out in a grand procession for a holy dip in the Ganga and then carried through the city and taken back to the temple for the symbolic reinstallation. Devotees from far off hills visit here to have the Darshan of the Lord.
Akshaya Tritiya: On Akshaya Tritiya, devotees perform 108 parikramas around the temple, seeking blessings. It is held that on this day the Lord’s feet are uncovered, and completing the parikramas is considered equivalent to a pilgrimage to Badrinath.
Hotels
How to Reach
By Air : The major airports listed by Incredible India are Jolly Grant Airport (Dehradun) and Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi)
By Train : Nearest Station is Rishikesh Railway Station (RKSH)
By Bus : The temple is in the city centre, in Main Bazar near Jhanda Chowk, and can be reached from Rishikesh Bus station
Address
Shri Bharat Mandir, Jhanda Chowk, Main Bazar, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, 249201 (address from the temple’s website)
Also Read About Places To Visit In Rishikesh
Shri Bharat Mandir Map
