Bansi Narayan Temple, Chamoli
At an elevation of 12000ft above the sea level, Bansi Narayan Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu is situated in Chamoli Garhwal District of Uttarakhand State. Surrounded by dense forest of Oak, pine, deodar and rhododendron trees, Bansi Narayan Temple was built by Kayturi Kings in Garhwal old Architecture style with stones and wood. Bansi Narayan Temple is located around 12 km uphill trek distance from Devgram Village in Urgam Valley. The Door of this temple only opens once in a year on the Occasion of Raksha Bandhan. It is believed that Lord Vishnu bless all female devotees as his sisters, thousands of devotees visits here on the day of Raksha Bandhan and womens tie a knot in temple complex as Rakhi.
According to the legend, King Bali was a demon king who had gained immense power and wealth. However, he was known for his generosity and charity. Goddess Lakshmi, who was impressed by his generosity, decided to test him by disguising herself as a woman and tying a Rakhi on his wrist. When King Bali asked her what she wanted in return, she revealed her true identity and asked him to release Lord Vishnu from his captivity. King Bali granted her wish and Lord Vishnu was set free. Lord Vishu appeared in the same from underground where temple is build.
Trek route to Bansi Narayan Temple | Best Route to Bansi Narayan Temple
The trek to the Bansi Narayan Temple starts from Devgram, a village in the Urgam Valley, Chamoli Gahrwal District. The trek is around 12 to 15 km long and it generally takes about 6 to 8 hours to complete with water and snack breaks.
The trek to Bansi Narayan temple is easy to moderate in difficulty level but will test your physical fitness so be prepare before if you are planning in future.
Overlooking great Himalayan peaks of Uttarakhand such as the Barmal, Nanda Devi peak, Trishul peak, and Nanda Ghunti, the trek is traversed through dense forest of deodar, oak, pine, and rhododendron trees.
For the mindful, trekking to Bansi Narayan Temple can grant you sights of some rare and beauteous species of birds such as the red-billed blue magpie, Himalayan monal, scaly breasted woodpecker, khalif pheasant, or a streaked laughing thrush and many more himalayan birds.
The trek to the Bansi Narayan Temple is divided into two phases, Devgram (6,614 ft) to Mulakharak (8,907 ft) (2-3 hours) via Bansa Village and Uruba Rishi Temple. Mulakharak (9000 ft) to Bansi Narayan temple (12000 ft) (4 hours) via Jadgi Mata Temple-Chetarpal Mandir and Nokchuna Dhar.
Famous Tourist Attractions near Bansi Narayan Temple | Places to explore near Bansi Narayan Temple
At in elevation of 12000ft above the sea level, Bansi Narayan Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu is the only temple that remains open only for a day on Rakshi Bandhan (Hindu Festival dedicated of brother and sisters). There are many famous nearby tourist attractions to Bansi Narayan Temple you can explore, few of them are:
- Urgam Village
- Urgam Valley
- Chetarpal Temple
- Chota Nandi Kund
- Uruba Rishi Temple
- Kalpeshwar Mahadev Temple
- Joshimath
- Gopinath Temple
- Gopeshwar Temple
- Vridh Badri Temple
Things to explore in Bansi Narayan Trek| Activities to do in Bansi Narayan Temple Trek
The Bansi Narayan trek offers a variety of activities that you can enjoy during your 12km trekking expedition that starts from Devgram Village. Here are some of the popular activities that you can do during the Trek:
Trekking - Trekking is the main activity of the Bansi Narayan Temple, to reach temple one has to trek 12km uphill trek from Devgram Village. The trek offers stunning views of the Himalayas, mini meadows and the surrounding landscape, making it an unforgettable experience.
Camping in Bansi Narayan Trek- Trek to Bansi Narayan Temple offers numerous camping opportunities. You can pitch your tent in the meadows and enjoy the beauty of the Himalayas under the stars.
Photography – Bansi Narayan Temple trek offers many opportunities for photography enthusiasts to capture stunning shots of the Himalayas, meadows, forests, and wildlife. You will love to click some shots of highest peaks including Nanda Devi, Dronagiri, Kamet, Hati-Ghoda Parvat, Keelkanth, Rishi Pahad and Trishul etc and beautiful mini meadows around
Birdwatching in Bansi Naryan Temple Trek – Surrounded by dense forest of oak, pine, deodar and Rhododendron trees, this place is home for many Himalayan and migrated birds. If you love exploring and finding new birds, if you love to wait for perfect click of birds then Bansi Narayan Temple trek is must visit trek for you.
Wildlife spotting - The Bansi Narayan Temple trek offers opportunities to spot some of the rarest wildlife species in the Himalayas, including the snow leopard, musk deer, and Himalayan black bear.
Village Tourism and interacting with local - During the trek, you'll come across small villages where you can interact with the local people and learn about their way of living pahadi life, culture, and traditions of Uttarakhand. You can also stay there for a day or two to refresh yourself in Authentic Himalayan Nature.