Akhand Jyoti (eternal flame) at the Badrinath temple

 High above in the Himalayas is the Badrinath temple; this temple is open for 6 months in a year, in winter the temple remains closed {locked and sealed}

Since ancient times a small lamp has always kept burning in the temple;  when the temple is reopened after winter this lamp is always found to be burning also the flowers that were kept in the temple when the temple closed are still fresh; people take it as a miracle of the Badrinath temple.

Now myself a tanker man {working on dangerous cargo ships} proud of my knowledge on flammability once met the head priest of the temple and inquired about the miracle of the eternal burning lamp.

This is what he told me-----nothing is a miracle; everything is science, to understand why the lamp keeps burning you must understand a flammable mixture.

He said that 2500 years ago Adi Shankracharya who reestablished this temple wrote a recipe for the mixture of the oil lamp he prescribed the names of the herbs that have to be mixed in ghee made from cow’s milk further he instructed that this mixture be prepared by girls less than 10 years of age only.

The mixture is such that only a very small amount of oxygen is needed and it gives out no carbon dioxide; one can call it a perfect flammable mixture hence a small lamp can keep burning for 6 months.

Since ancient times the residents of Mana village near Badrinath {which is the last Indian village on the border with Tibet} have prepared this mixture for the temple.

Road to Mana village

Little girl of Mana village; in future she will make the mixture for the temple

                        

And regarding the flowers which remain fresh the head priest told me that this variety of flowers again recommended by Adi Shankracharya are of such species that they do not fade.

The head priest further told me the reason behind the char dham yatra {written in the post "reason behind the char dham yatra"}.

I had the opportunity to meet him twice and had a very rich experience meeting this person.

Such people always enrich our lives.