In Joshimath, Uttarakhand, Narasimha Temple, Joshimath is a shrine to Narasimha, the man-lion avatar of Vishnu, worshipped here as Paramapurushan with consort Parimalavalli Thayar. It is also known as Narsingh Temple, Narsimha Badri, Thirupruthi, Paramapurushan Temple.
Identified as Thirupruthi, one of the 108 Divya Desams, the sacred Vishnu temples glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham composed by the Alvar poet-saints (this site is associated with Thirumangai Alvar). It is one of three Divya Desams in Uttarakhand, alongside Badrinath and the Raghunath temple at Devaprayag, and is also revered as the winter abode of Lord Badrinath. The temple stands at Jyotirmath (Joshimath), the northern of the four cardinal mathas founded by Adi Shankaracharya, and is said to have been established by him in the 8th century using an idol carved from Shaligram stone.
Uttarakhand carries a distinct temple identity of its own: Dev Bhoomi, the Land of the Gods, home to the Char Dham Himalayan shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri and the Shakti temples of Haridwar.
Darshan hours and daily worship
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | 6:00 AM onwards |
| Evening | until around 7:30 PM |
Sources describe the temple as open through the day from roughly 6:00 AM to 7:30 PM with darshan taking about 30 minutes, but no official temple or district administration timetable was found to confirm this, and hours likely vary in winter.
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Holi | February/March | Celebrated at the temple in connection with the Narasimha legend of triumph over the demon Hiranyakashipu and protection of the devotee Prahlad |
| Narsingh Jayanti | Shukla Chaturdashi, Vaisakh month (April/May) | Marks the appearance of Lord Narasimha |
History and architecture
Architecture
Nagara-style stone temple with a central dome and smaller turrets, enshrining a roughly 25 cm black Shaligram-stone murti of Narasimha in half-man, half-lion form
History
The temple stands at Jyotirmath (Joshimath), the northern of the four cardinal mathas founded by Adi Shankaracharya, and is said to have been established by him in the 8th century using an idol carved from Shaligram stone. It is grouped with the Sapt Badri (seven Badri) shrines and is also called Narsimha Badri. A well-known local legend holds that the idol's right wrist has been gradually thinning over generations, and that when it finally breaks off a landslide will close the route to Badrinath forever, after which worship will shift permanently to a site called Bhavishya Badri. During the winter closure of the main Badrinath temple, the ceremonial utsava murti of Badrinath is brought down and worshipped here for about six months.
Planning your visit
How to reach
Nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun (around 268 km); nearest railhead is Rishikesh (around 256 km) or Dehradun (around 294 km); by road via NH-58 through Rudraprayag and Chamoli. The temple is within walking distance of the Joshimath bus stand.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: Medium. Its identity as the Divya Desam Thirupruthi, the Narasimha deity, Adi Shankaracharya's founding role, the withering-wrist legend, and the role as winter seat of the Badrinath utsava murti are corroborated across multiple pilgrimage and Sri Vaishnava sources. However, no official temple, Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee, or government website could be found to confirm exact daily timings, entry fee, or precise construction date, so those details rely on secondary travel sources and are treated cautiously.