About Joshimath

Devbhoomi Uttarakhand is renowned for its religious spots scattered across the state with panoramic scenic beauty, lush greenery and snow capped view of Himalayas all through the pilgrimage trek. Joshimath or Jyotirmath as the little town is called is situated in the serene landscape of Chamoli district  in Garhwal region enroute Badarinath. It is the entryway to endless mountain trails, expeditions and pilgrimages in the area as well as one of the key dham or pithas instituted by Adi Shankaracharya. Joshimath comprises the uttaramnaya matha or northern monastery; the other three are located in Shringeri, Puri and Dwarka. At an altitude of 1,890 meters above sea level, Joshimath which is a municipal town serves as the base of the pilgrimage sites located high above in the mountains.

Vishnuprayag which is located beneath Joshimath is the confluence of rivers Dhauliganga and Alaknanda and the view of the confluence from Joshimath is a captivating sight along with stunning views of Hathi Parvat, Nanda Devi etc. It is the commencing point for camping, trekking point to Valley of Flowers, Hemkund Sahib and Govindghat as well as adventure sports.

History of Joshimath

Joshimath or Jyotirmath as it is lovingly called by its residents is the centre of jyotirlinga dedicated to Lord Shiva or Lord Badri (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu) who descends to this place from the temple in Badarinath during winter. According to folklore or legends, Joshimath was earlier called Kartikeyapura, derived from Karthik who was the god of Katyuri kings and Lord Shiva’s son.

Adi Guru Shankaracharya founded the math or monastery here in 8th century at Joshimath while the area is also famous for Kalpavriksha, a tree believed to be 1200 years old which had existed since Adi Shankaracharya.

The deity of Lord Badri is transferred to Vasudeva Temple during winter where it is worshipped for some time before the roads are cleared and snowfall has stopped in the mountains high above.

Geography of Joshimath

Joshimath is located at an angle of 30.57° N 79.57° E at 6150 feet in the lap of the mighty Himalayas. Joshimath’s weather remains cold and chilly throughout the year including summer months with heavy rainfall in monsoon and snowfall during winter months.

Tourism in Karnaprayag

Joshimath is a revered holy town for pilgrims who consider that Lord Badri resides here within the premises of Shankaracharya Math founded by Adi Shankaracharya. The math is a sacred shrine along with temple of Vasudeva where the relic of Lord Badri is worshipped during winter as well as the temple of Goddess Rajrajeshwari.  There is a cave near the temple and math where Adi Shankaracharya is considered to have meditated for a long time.


The temple of Narsingh or Narsimha (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu) is also located in Joshimath where the deity’s right arm is believed to be reducing in size every day. According to folklore when the arm completely detaches from the idol, the road to Badarinath will be shut forever by a land slide. On the southern end of the temple, a covered building stands tall with a water tank inside its premises with two brass water spouts or openings known as Narsimhadhara and Danddhara. In between the two spouts, two brass idols of Rama and Sita are posited.

The Vasudeva Temple which houses the black stone deity of Lord Vishnu is about two meters in height and is seated on a lotus base flanked by idols of Sridevi and Bhudevi. The idol is surrounded by ten avatars/manifestations of Lord Vishnu known as Dashavatar. Outside, the Vasudeva Temple is surrounded by temples of Lord Ganesha, Hanuman, Gaurishankar, Naudevi and Surya while at a distance the brass idol of Garud, the vehicle of Lord Vishnu is seated.

Best Time to Visit
April to May in summer months and September to November is the best time to visit Joshimath when the weather remains cool yet moderate thus making it ideal for trekking, camping and pilgrimage.

Hotels in Joshimath

The Himalayan Abode
Address: Badarinath Highway, Near JP Company,
Marwari, Joshimath, Chamoli, Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: 09412082247
Tariff: INR 2,675-INR 5,219

Hotel Mount View
Address: Badarinath Main Road, Near Kotwali
Joshimath, Uppar Bazar, Chamoli
Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: 01389221993
Tariff: INR 2,310 onwards

Nanda Inn Wild Cottage
Address: Auli Road, Joshimath-Badarinath Highway
Chamoli, Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: 09837937948
Tariff: INR 3,653- INR 3,784

Hotel Dronagiri
Address: Auli Road, Joshimath
Chamoli, Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: 01389-222622
Tariff: INR 1,044-INR 3,392

Hotel Malari Inn
Address: Near Police Station, Badarinath Road
NH 58, Joshimath, Chamoli, Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: 01389-222257
Tariff: INR 1,957- INR 4,045

XRA
Address: Auli Road, Joshimath
Chamoli, Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: 08126965636
Tariff: INR 2,609-INR 3,914

Cliff Top Club
Address: Auli Road, Auli, Joshimath
Chamoli, Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: 09013527195
Tariff: INR 6458- INR 12,851

Heritage Camp Hotel
Address: Badarinath Road, Auli Crossing
Near NTPC Dispensary, Joshimath
Chamoli, Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: 09839505909
Tariff: INR 800 onwards

Hotel Nature Inn
Address: Auli Road, Joshimath
Chamoli, Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: 08171472172
Tariff: INR 3,120 onwards

Devi Darshan Lodge
Address: Near Army Helipad, Auli, Joshimath
Chamoli, Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: 09719316777
Tariff: INR 300 onwards

Hotel Bhagat
Address: NH 58, Govindghat, Chamoli
Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: 09412936360
Tariff: INR 1,503 –INR 2,352

Hotel Uday Palace
Address: Joshimath, Chamoli
Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: NA
Tariff: NA

How to Reach Joshimath

The easiest way to reach Joshimath from Dehradun is via air from Jolly Grant Airport which is 289 kilometers away. Tourists and pilgrims can also avail trains from Rishikesh and Haridwar Railway Station to Joshimath which connects all major cities. Joshimath can also be accessed via National Highway 58 or NH 58 linking Delhi with Mana Pass and Badarinath near Indo-Tibet Border in Uttarakhand. Private Taxis, buses ply regularly to Joshimath from Rishikesh which is located at a distance of 251 kilometers.

Distance of Joshimath from major cities and towns

Rishikesh- Joshimath- 251 kilometers
Haridwar -Joshimath -277 kilometers
Badarinath- Joshimath- 44 kilometers
Kedarnath- Joshimath- 51 kilometers
Rudraprayag- Joshimath-115.6 kilometers
Dehradun- Joshimath- 289 kilometers
Delhi- Joshimath- 484 kilometers
Lucknow- Joshimath- 632 kilometers
Srinagar- Joshimath-147.3 kilometers
Govindghat -Joshimath- 20.7 kilometers
Auli- Joshimath-16 kilometers

Tourist Places near Joshimath

Joshimath is a stopover for pilgrims and trekkers enroute Badarinath and Valley of Flowers, Auli etc.  However there are a lot of sightseeing spots as well as religious shrines in and around Joshimath. Bhavishya Kedar Temple also known as Bhavishya Badri Temple is located very close to Joshimath at a distance of 10 kilometers where a Shivling is housed and worshipped. According to folklore it is believed that after the roads to Kedarnath and Badarinath get permanently closed by a landslide the deities will reappear in this temple.

Tapovan situated at a distance of 10 kilometers from Joshimath is renowned as a trekking and camping destination with natural hot springs with river Dhauliganga coursing through the valley and breathtaking view of Himalayan peaks.

Auli is a winter ski destination situated very close to Joshimath and the famous Ropeway to Auli from Joshimath is an experience to witness for a lifetime. Bhawani Giri Temple located 6 kilometers away from Joshimath is also a popular tourist spot. Badarinath is the popular of all pilgrimage sites located close to Joshimath at a distance of 44 kilometers on the banks of Alaknanda River.

Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara dedicated to Shri Guru Govind Singh Ji and Valley of Flowers in Govindghat is two hotspots for tourists and devotees.

Emergencies in Joshimath

Joshimath has a police Chauki, fire station and Air ambulance facility but there is only Patanjali medicine store and there is no medical store located nearby or there are any blood banks.
Given below is a list of emergencies:

Police Station in Joshimath

Joshimath Police Chauki
Address: NH 58, Joshimath
Chamoli, Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: 01389-222103

Ambulance Service in Joshimath

Air Ambulance Aviation
Address: Guptakashi, Uttarakhand
Ph no: 09811404015

Fire Station in Joshimath

Fire Brigade
Address: NH 58, Joshimath, Chamoli
Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: NA

Healthcare in Joshimath

Joshimath has two hospitals, namely a government and a district hospital at its disposal. However for advanced and critical medical care, residents have to visit neighboring cities.

District Hospital
Address: Joshimath, Chamoli
Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: NA

Government Hospital
Address: Joshimath, Chamoli
Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: NA

Utilities and Services in Joshimath 

Joshimath provides basic public services like banks, post offices, petrol pumps, gas connections to its residents. But there are certain public services not available in the area and residents need to visit other cities in neighborhood to access them.

Given below is a list of utilities and services:

Post Office in Joshimath

Post Office
Address: NH 58, Joshimath
Chamoli, Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: NA

Gas Service in Joshimath

ASC Gas Service
Address: Chamoli, Joshimath
Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: 01389-222290

Banks in Joshimath

Punjab National Bank
Address: Joshimath, Chamoli
Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: 01389-222129
IFSC Code: PUNB002450
MICR Code: 246024955
Branch Code: 024500

State Bank of India
Address: Joshimath, Chamoli
Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: 01389-222360/165/221972
IFSC Code: SBIN0006170
MICR Code: 246002022
Branch Code: 006170

Nainital Bank
Address: Shailja Guest House, Near GMVN Rest House
Joshimath, Chamoli, Uttarakhand
Ph no: 01389-221130
IFSC Code: NTBL0JOS086
MICR Code: 246184086
Branch Code: JOS086

Bank of Baroda
Address: Upper Bazar, Near Gandhi Field
Joshimath, Chamoli, Uttarakhand
Ph no: 1800 223 344
IFSC Code: BARB0JOSHIM
MICR Code: NON-MICR
Branch Code: JOSHIM

Punjab and Sind Bank
Address: Upper Bazar, Joshimath
Chamoli, Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: 01389-222115
IFSC Code: PSIB0000176
MICR Code: NON-MICR
Branch Code: 000176

Canara Bank
Address: Joshimath, Chamoli
Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: 09456591172
IFSC Code: CNRB0005547
MICR Code: 246015102
Branch Code: 005547

Indian Overseas Bank
Address: Narsingh Temple Road, Upper Bazar
Joshimath, Chamoli, Uttarakhand
Ph no: 01389-2769642
IFSC Code: IOBA0003718
MICR Code: NON-MICR
Branch Code: 003718

Petrol Pumps in Joshimath

Semval Filling Station
Address:  Badarinath Road, Joshimath
Chamoli, Uttarakhand-246443
Ph no: 01389-222012

Parvat Filling Station
Address: Pipalkothi, Chamoli
Uttarakhand-246472
Ph no: 01372-266201

Joshimath Fact Files

Name: Joshimath Town
District: Chamoli
State: Uttarakhand
Population: 13,202
Altitude:1,890 meters
Languages Spoken: Garhwali, Hindi
Weather: Cold and chilly all through summer with heavy snowfall in winter and incessant rainfall during monsoon
Pin Code: 246443
STD Code: 01389