Hindu mythology considers Charan Paduka to be a holy rock. There are footprints on the rock near Charan Paduka, which are said to be those of Lord Vishnu. People believed that Lord Vishnu left his heavenly footsteps on this boulder as he came from Vaikunta. As a result, this auspicious place became known as Charan Paduka.
Another occurrence that is described in the well-known Bhagwat Purana similarly highlights the importance of Charan Paduka. The story states that Lord Krishna sent his minister Uddav to Badrinath to make up for his sins while wearing his Charan Paduka or slippers. His footsteps are seen on this boulder.
Trekking can be done to reach Charan Paduka from the Badrinath temple’s left side. As soon as you begin to go in the right direction, you will find a short set of steps that will take you up to the Charan Paduka rock. Even though the walk is just 3 km long, the hill climb is quite challenging due to the steps’ uphill slope, and it can take as long as one hour to reach Charan Paduka, which is located in the Narayan Parvat.
As soon as you get to the top of the hill, the breathtaking scenery and lovely meadows that, in the summer, are bursting with vibrant fresh flowers, welcome you to join them. Aside from this, everyone must at least once in their lifetime see the magnificent Rishi Ganga flowing towards the man-made waterfall and the magnificent view of the Neelkanth mountain from the Narayan Parvat.
