Panch Kedar
There is an interesting legend about the Panch Kedar. According to it, after the battle of Kurukshetra the Pandavas went out look for Lord Shiva to seek his blessings. But Lord eluded them since he did not wish to meet them.
When the Pandavas found out where Lord Shiva was, the Lord assumed the form of a bull. The legendary Pandava Bhima tried to pick up the bull but it sank into the earth. However, Bhima could manage to retain the hump of the bull.
Impressed by their determination, Lord Shiva finally blessed the Pandavas and freed them from their sins. The lord then asked them to worship his hump at Kedarnath.
The other parts of Lord Shiva's body, arms, face, nevel and hair locks appeared at Tungnath, Rudranath, Madmaheswar and Kalpeshwar. These four shrines along with Kedarnath are worshipped as Panch Kedar.
Thus, the five kedars or Panch Kedar are as under:-
1) Kedarnath 2) Madmaheswar 3) Rudranath 4) Tungnath
5) Kalpeshwar
Kedarnath
Another name of Lord Shiva, is located at an elevation of 3, 584 meters above the sea level in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. It lied on the head on river Mandakhini and is considered amongst the most sacred placed of Hindu faith. Here, the hump of Shiva is worshipped. Kedarnath is one of the twelve 'Jyotirlingas'.
As one approaches from Garurchatti, the magnificent Sri Kedarnath temple is visible on advancing barely half a kilometer. With the stunning background of towering white mountains mantled with snow, the temple presents an enchanting sight. All around it is an aura of peace and purity. Here, the unholy are said to become holy and the holy, holier still. The temple of Kedarnath is considered to be more than a thousand years old. The temple is magnificent in its style and architecture. It is built on a morainic ridge jutting out at right angles from the snowy range. The temple has a “garbha-griha” for worship and mandaps for assemblies of pilgrims and visitors.
Madmaheshwar
Madhmaheshwar, situated at an elevation of 3, 289 meters above the sea level, is located at a distance of 31 Km from Guptkashi in Rudraprayag district. Here, the navel of Lord Shiva appeared. Thus, the Lingam here is navel shaped.
There is a motor able road from Guptkashi to Kalimath. The best statue of Har Gauri in India measuring over a metre high is found in the Kali temple. The trek from Kalimath to Madhmaheshwar is distinguished by wild unparalleled scenic beauty and engulfed by Chaukhamba, Kedarnath and Neelkanth peaks. Gaundar at the confluence of Madhmaheshwar Ganga and Markanga Ganga, is the last settlement before one reaches Madhmaheshwar, the place where Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of belly.
The Shiva temple near the source of the Madmaheshwar river, is the second Kedar. According to a legend, when lord Shiva was avoiding the Pandavas, he sank into the earth at Kedarnath with a desire to elude them and his torso surfaced here at Madmaheshwar.
Located amidst serene environs, the temple has no crowd of Pandas, Pujaris, Shops or the bustle of major pilgrimage centres . There is a small Dharamshala and provisions must be carried from the village of Gaundar.
The temple is close for six month during winter when the silver idols are taken ceremonially to Ukhimath for worship. Only the Shivling remains. Saraswati kund, where Tarpans are offered is closed by.
Tunganath
Located at an elevation of 3, 680 meters above the sea level, highest amongst the five kedars, Tunganath is where Lord Shiva's arm appeared. Tunganath is about 3 Km uphill trek from Chopata in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand state. The peak of Tungnath is the source of three springs that form the river Akashkamini. By road, one can reach Chopta which lies on Kund-Gopeshwar road at a distance of 212 Km. Nearest railhead is at Rishikesh (215 Km) and nearest airport is Jolly Grant (232 Km) of Dehradun.
Rudranath
Rudranath, situated at an elevation of 2, 286 meters above the sea level, is about 23 Km from Gopeshwar. Rudranath can also be reached from Sagar by a 22 Km trek. Here, the face of Lord Shiva is worshipped as Neelkanth Mahadev. Some of the holy Kunds like Suryakund, Chandrakund, and Tarakund are situated nearby. The temple site offers breathtaking views of Hathi Parvat, Nanda Devi, Nanda Ghunti, Trishuli and other peaks. To reach Rudranath, one can take either the Gopeshwar-Kedarnath road or come from Sagar which is about 219 Km from Rishikesh. Nearest railhead is at Rishikesh (241 Km) and the nearest airport is Jolly Grant (258 Km) of Dehradun.
Kalpeshwar
Kalpeshwar, located at an elevation of 2, 134 meters above the sea level is where the hair of Lord Shiva appeared. Kalpeshwar can be reached after a 12 km trek from Helang which lies on motorable Rishikesh-Badrinath route, 242 Km from Rishikesh. Nearest railhead for Kalpeshwar is Rishikesh (255 Km) and nearest airport is at Jolly Grant (272 Km) of Dehradun.
There is an interesting legend about the Panch Kedar. According to it, after the battle of Kurukshetra the Pandavas went out look for Lord Shiva to seek his blessings. But Lord eluded them since he did not wish to meet them.
Impressed by their determination, Lord Shiva finally blessed the Pandavas and freed them from their sins. The lord then asked them to worship his hump at Kedarnath.
The other parts of Lord Shiva's body, arms, face, nevel and hair locks appeared at Tungnath, Rudranath, Madmaheswar and Kalpeshwar. These four shrines along with Kedarnath are worshipped as Panch Kedar.
Thus, the five kedars or Panch Kedar are as under:-
1) Kedarnath 2) Madmaheswar 3) Rudranath 4) Tungnath
5) Kalpeshwar
Kedarnath
Another name of Lord Shiva, is located at an elevation of 3, 584 meters above the sea level in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. It lied on the head on river Mandakhini and is considered amongst the most sacred placed of Hindu faith. Here, the hump of Shiva is worshipped. Kedarnath is one of the twelve 'Jyotirlingas'.
As one approaches from Garurchatti, the magnificent Sri Kedarnath temple is visible on advancing barely half a kilometer. With the stunning background of towering white mountains mantled with snow, the temple presents an enchanting sight. All around it is an aura of peace and purity. Here, the unholy are said to become holy and the holy, holier still. The temple of Kedarnath is considered to be more than a thousand years old. The temple is magnificent in its style and architecture. It is built on a morainic ridge jutting out at right angles from the snowy range. The temple has a “garbha-griha” for worship and mandaps for assemblies of pilgrims and visitors.
Madmaheshwar
Madhmaheshwar, situated at an elevation of 3, 289 meters above the sea level, is located at a distance of 31 Km from Guptkashi in Rudraprayag district. Here, the navel of Lord Shiva appeared. Thus, the Lingam here is navel shaped.
There is a motor able road from Guptkashi to Kalimath. The best statue of Har Gauri in India measuring over a metre high is found in the Kali temple. The trek from Kalimath to Madhmaheshwar is distinguished by wild unparalleled scenic beauty and engulfed by Chaukhamba, Kedarnath and Neelkanth peaks. Gaundar at the confluence of Madhmaheshwar Ganga and Markanga Ganga, is the last settlement before one reaches Madhmaheshwar, the place where Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of belly.
The Shiva temple near the source of the Madmaheshwar river, is the second Kedar. According to a legend, when lord Shiva was avoiding the Pandavas, he sank into the earth at Kedarnath with a desire to elude them and his torso surfaced here at Madmaheshwar.
Located amidst serene environs, the temple has no crowd of Pandas, Pujaris, Shops or the bustle of major pilgrimage centres . There is a small Dharamshala and provisions must be carried from the village of Gaundar.
The temple is close for six month during winter when the silver idols are taken ceremonially to Ukhimath for worship. Only the Shivling remains. Saraswati kund, where Tarpans are offered is closed by.
Tunganath
Located at an elevation of 3, 680 meters above the sea level, highest amongst the five kedars, Tunganath is where Lord Shiva's arm appeared. Tunganath is about 3 Km uphill trek from Chopata in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand state. The peak of Tungnath is the source of three springs that form the river Akashkamini. By road, one can reach Chopta which lies on Kund-Gopeshwar road at a distance of 212 Km. Nearest railhead is at Rishikesh (215 Km) and nearest airport is Jolly Grant (232 Km) of Dehradun.
Rudranath
Rudranath, situated at an elevation of 2, 286 meters above the sea level, is about 23 Km from Gopeshwar. Rudranath can also be reached from Sagar by a 22 Km trek. Here, the face of Lord Shiva is worshipped as Neelkanth Mahadev. Some of the holy Kunds like Suryakund, Chandrakund, and Tarakund are situated nearby. The temple site offers breathtaking views of Hathi Parvat, Nanda Devi, Nanda Ghunti, Trishuli and other peaks. To reach Rudranath, one can take either the Gopeshwar-Kedarnath road or come from Sagar which is about 219 Km from Rishikesh. Nearest railhead is at Rishikesh (241 Km) and the nearest airport is Jolly Grant (258 Km) of Dehradun.
Kalpeshwar
Kalpeshwar, located at an elevation of 2, 134 meters above the sea level is where the hair of Lord Shiva appeared. Kalpeshwar can be reached after a 12 km trek from Helang which lies on motorable Rishikesh-Badrinath route, 242 Km from Rishikesh. Nearest railhead for Kalpeshwar is Rishikesh (255 Km) and nearest airport is at Jolly Grant (272 Km) of Dehradun.
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