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| Kedarnath
Temple
Built in the 8th century A.D., the temple at Kedarnath is dedicated to
Lord Shiva and a Lingam in its sanct- um sanctorum is the idol. The
temple was renovated and refurbished by the
religious reformer and saint, Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th
century. |
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Outside the temple door, a large statue of Nandi the bull stands on guard. |
Samadhi of
Adi Shankaracharya
Located
behind the Kedarnath Temple is the
Samadhi or the final resting place where the saint gave up his life.
Bhairav
Nath Temple
To the
south of the main temple stands the temple of Lord Bhairav,
the deity who guards the Kedarnath Temple in winter, when it is closed
to worship.
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Triyuginarayan
25 kms. away.
The mythological venue where the wedding of Lord Shiva and Parvati was
solemnised. It is a short trek of 5 kms. from Son Prayag. An eternal flame,
which is said to have been the witness to the marriage,
burns in front of the temple even today. |
Gandhi
Sarovar
1.5 kms. away.
A small lake from where Yudhishthir, the eldest of the Pandavas,
is said to have departed to heaven.
Vasuki Tal
6 kms. away.
At 4135 mtrs. above sea level, this lake is extraordinary, surrounded
by high mountains and offering an excellent view of the Chaukhamba peaks.
| Gupt Kashi
49 kms. away.
Famous for the temples of Ardhnarishwar and Vishwanathji. This was where
Lord Shiva lived incognito, when seeking to avoid granting the boon of
absolution to the Pandavas. |
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Gauri Kund
15 kms. away.
The trekking base to Kedarnath and the road head, this village has
a temple dedicated to Gauri and also thermal springs of medicinal value.
Sonprayag
20 km. away.
The confluence of the Son Ganga and Mandakini rivers, where there is a
diversion for Triyuginarayan.
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Ukhimath
60 km. away.
Winter home of the deity of Kedarnath temple, and
the seat of the Rawal of Kedarnath. |
Agastmuni
73 km. away.
There is a temple here dedicated to the Sage Agastya.
Chopta
Situated on the Gopeshwar-Ukhimath,
road about 40 kms. from Gopeshwar at an altitude
of about 2500 mts. above sea level, Chopta is
one of the most picturesque spots in the entire Garhwal region. It provides
a breathtaking view of the Himalayan ranges surrounding it.
MADMAHESHWAR
One of the Panch Kedars, the temple
of Madmaheshwar is located at an altitude of 3,289 mts. above sea level,
on the slope of a ridge, 25 kms. north-east of Guptkashi. There is a motorable
road from Guptkashi to Kalimath.
The best statue of Har Gauri in India,
measuring over a metre high, is found in the Kali temple, here. The trek
from Kalimath to Madmaheshwar is distinguished by wild unparalleled scenic
beauty and engulfed by Chakhamba, Kedarnath and Neelkanth peaks. Gaundar,
at the confluence of Madmaheshwar Ganga and Markanga Ganga, is the last
settlement before one reaches Madmaheshwar, the place where Lord Shiva
navel (Nabhi) had manifest itself as one of the Panch Kedars.
TUNGNATH
....
The arms (Mukh) of Lord Shiva became
manifest here as per the Kedarnath myth of Tunganath. He is worshipped
here as one of the Panch Kedars. The Tungnath Temple, at an altitude of
3,580 mts., is the highest Shivashrine among the Panch Kedars but the easiest
to reach from Chopta, the nearest roadhead.
RUDRANATH
...
The face (Mukh) of Lord Shiva is
worshipped at the Rudranath temple, established at an elevation of 2,286
mts., above sea-level and 23 kms. from Gopeshwar, 5 kms. of the distance
is motorable and the rest of the 18 kms. passes through wild orchards
and picturesque bugyals (highland meadows) and involves trekking
over high ridges (some times 4,000 mts.). The temple site provides magnificent
views of Hathi Parvat, Nanda Devi, Nanda Ghangti, Trishuli and many
other peaks. There are a number of holy kunds near Rudranath temple namely
Suryakund, Chandrakund, Tarakund etc. The entire area is utterly enchanting
and unmatched in scenic beauty.
..
The Anusuya Devi Temple is located
on the trek to Rudranath involving an additional trek of 3 kms.
KALPESHWAR
The more hardy tourist may like to
trek about 35 kms. to Kalpeshwar, where the locks (Jata) with head, of
Lord Shiva are worshipped. Located in Urgam Valley at an altitude of 2,134
mts. above sea-level, the temple is a further 10 kms. trek from Rudranath
to Helong, the motor head on the Rishikesh-Badrinath route.
CHANDRASHILA
The Chandrashila peak provides a
rare panoramic view of innumerable snow clad peaks. The trek from Tungnath
passes through forests of rhododendron and alpine meadows.
DEORIA TAL
At an altitude of 2,440 mts., the
beautiful lake of Deoria Tal is located on the Chopta-Ukhimath Motor road
about 3 kms. away from Sari. Another trek is from Ukhimath.
In the early morning, the snow capped
peaks, including Chaukhamba and Kedarnath, are clearly reflected on the
lake waters. The lake also provides an excellent spot for angling as well
as birdwatching.
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