74 Abode of Gods
are Namboodri Brahmans from the Malabar. When the head
priest opens the kapat (doors) of the holy temple in the month
of May after winter lull, hundreds of dedicated devotees stand
outside in shivering and biting cold after having taken bath in
192°F thermal spring-—Taptkund—which is just below the
1 temple. After the opening of the temple, Srinagar, hhoga and
Nirvana Puja is done day in and day out by the Rawal with the
help of a team of other assistants who do various odd jobs. When
the temple is closed in November, the image is bathed and then
covered with aromatic scents, ghee, sandal paste and a cloth is
wrapped round it. A wick lamp is lighted with eighteen, sears of
ghee which miraculously keeps on burning till the temple is
opened in April-May after a ;apse of six months.
An important part of Badrinathdham management is the insti-
tution of Rawal which was founded by Adi Sankracharya who
established four maths and handed over the administration respec-
tively to Swami Hastamalik of Dwarikapuri, Jagannathpuri to
Swami Padampal, Rameshwaram to Swami Rameshwaram and
Jyotimath to Swami Totaka. The rules governing the adminis-
tration of these Maths were laid in a book called 'Mathanya'.
From 1497 to 1776 nearly 21 Acharyas handled the administration
of Badrikashram. However, the management of Sri Badrikashrarn
passed in the hands of Maharaja of Tehri in eighteenth century.
He was conferred with the title of "Baland Badri* i.e. the living
incarnation of Lord Badrinath. The selection of Rawal was
made by the Maharaja of Tehri and Rajas of Travancore-Cochin.
With the passage of time as the control of Rawal became weak
the Rawal increased his independence and he was virtually Pops
andCeasar combined. From 1776 to 1893 A.D., 11 Rawals
presided over the temple, the tenth Rawal, one Vasudeva fell in
love with a Brahmin girl who came for the Darshan of the
Lord Badrinath but got married to the Rawal. The matter-
went to the court in 1898 A.D. and as per the judgement of the
court, the Rawal was given absolute power. In 1919, a manager
was appointed in the person of Shaligram Vaisnauv in consultation
with Rawal and Tehri state. In 1928, the Government of United
Provinces appointed a Committee for investigating the religious
matters of the Hindus of the province. The Committee consulted
people from different walks of life and the deliberations