Brahma Kapal

Brahma Kapal is a holy spot on the bank of the Alaknanda River in Badrinath where Hindus perform rites for their departed ancestors. The two main rituals are tarpan, the offering of water, and pind daan, the offering of food to the dead.

Tradition holds that Lord Brahma, the creator, carried out a yagna (fire ritual) here after the death of his wife Savitri. Families come from across India to honour their forebears and ask for their blessings, and the site sits among the town's temples with snow peaks rising above the river.