Jyotirmath

This article is about the city of Jyotirmath or Joshimath, for information about the monastery see Jyotir Math

Jyotirmath ज्योतिर मठ Jyotir Math, Joshimath
—  town  —
Ropeway at Joshimath to Auli
Jyotirmath Location in Uttarakhand, India
Coordinates: 30.57°N 79.57°E / 30.57; 79.57
Country	India
State	Uttarakhand
District	Chamoli
Population (2001)
• Total	13,202
Languages
• Official	Hindi
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)

Jyotirmath is a city and a municipal board in Chamoli District in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is locally known as Joshimath. It is home to one of the four cardinal pīthas established by Adi Shankara.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, Joshimath had a population of 13,202. Males constitute 61% of the population and females 39%. Joshimath has an average literacy rate of 77%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 83%, and female literacy is 67%. In Joshimath, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Landmarks

Jyotir Math monastery

Jyotirmath is the uttarāmnāya matha or northern monastery, one of the four cardinal institutions established by Adi Shankara, the others being those at Shringeri, Puri and Dwaraka. Their heads are titled "Shankaracharya". According to the tradition initiated by Adi Shankara, this matha is in charge of the Atharvaveda. Jyotirmath is close to the pilgrimage town of Badrinath. This place can be a base station for travellers going to Guru Gobind Ghat or the Valley of Flowers National Park. The temple Narasimha, is enshrined Badrinarayan along with a pantheon of deities. The presiding deity Lord Narasimha is believed to have been established by Adi Sankara. It is one of the "Divya Desams", the 108 temples of Vishnu revered by the 12 Tamil poet-saints or Alvars.

Places to Visit

Shankaracharya Math This is the math established by Adi shankaracharya in North India. The Math is having temple of Badrinarayan and Rajrajeshwari Devi. it also have sacred cave where Adi Shankaracharya has done tapasya. It have 2500 years old Kalpviksh or devine tree.

Narsinh Temple

This is the ancinet temple of Lord Vishnu in Narsinh Avtar. This is the main temple in Joshimath. It has idol of Lord Narsinh, which is considered as established by Shankaracharya. As per local folk, the right hand of this idol has become as thin as hair. On the day when it will break, the mountains Jay-Vijay (which are situated on a way to Badrinath) shall become one. The Lord badrinath will disappear from present temple and re-appear as black stone (Shaligram) at new place, which is situated 10 km from Joshimath. The place is presently known as Bhavishya Badri. Further, when badrinath temple remain close during winter, one idol of Lord Badri is being brought to Narsinh temple and being worshiped for six months.

Bhavishya Kedar Temple As Per local belief, present Kedarnath will disappear along with Badrinath and re-appear in Bhavishya Kedar temple at Joshimath. This temple has small shivling.

Tapovan

Tapovan is situated 10 km from Joshimath. It has natural hot water springs. There are mountains containing high amount of sulfur. It has nice view of river Dhauliganga.

Transportation

The nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport near Dehradun 293 km (182 mi) away. However, the distance by a helicopter journey is much less.

The nearest railway station is at Rishikesh. However, Rishikesh is a small railway station not connected by fast trains. Haridwar railway junction, 24 km farther from Rishikesh, has train connections to most of the major cities in India and is, therefore, the railhead for Joshimath.

Joshimath lies on national highway NH58 that connects Delhi with Badrinath and Mana Pass in Uttarakhand near Indo-Tibet border. Therefore all the buses and vehicles that carry pilgrims from New Delhi to Badrinath via Haridwar and Rishikesh in pilgrim season of summer months pass through Joshimath. Rishikesh is the major starting point for road journey to Joshimath. Regular buses operate from Rishikesh bus station to Joshimath. The road distance from Rishikesh to Joshimath is 251 km (156 mi) via Rudraprayag and Chamoli.

See also

• Shri Gaudapadacharya Math
• Gauḍapāda
• Govinda Bhagavatpada
• Adi Shankara
• Mandukya Upanishad
• Advaita Vedanta