INTRODUCTION
Panch Kedar -a group of five Hindu temples or sacred places of the Shiva sect dedicated to Lord Shiva. They are the subject of several legends, that directly link their creation to the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. Kedarnath at an altitude of 3,583 m (11,755 ft) is among the five temples strictly followed for pilgrimage for worship. The temples are Tungnath Temple (3,680 m or 12,070 ft), and Rudranath Temple (3,559 m or 11,677 ft). ft), Madhyamaheshwar Temple or Madmaheshwar (3,490 m or 11,450 ft), and Kalpeshwar Temple (2,200 m or 7,200 ft).
Panch Kedar – KEDARNATH TEMPLE
Set against the spectacular backdrop of snow-capped peaks and forests, the Kedarnath Temple is situated in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand and holds a prime position among the Panch Kedar- a group of five Hindu temples. The temple has a conical-shaped Shivalinga which is believed to be the hump of Shiva. It is situated at an altitude of 3,584 meters. The trek to Kedarnath Temple starts from Gaurikund and is an uphill trek of about 19 km. This trek can be completed in 6-7 hours.
Panch Kedar – TUNGNATH HINDU TEMPLE
Tungnath Temple is located in the Rudraprayag district of Garhwal, Uttarakhand. The Tungnath Temple is situated on the Tungnath mountain, which is at an altitude of 3,680 meters. Tungnath Temple is one of the Panch Kedars and second in the Panch Kedars. The temple was built by the Pandavas and is situated at the highest point in the Panch Kedar which is believed to be 1,000 years old. Here it is worshiped as one of the Panch Kedar of Lord Shiva. The Mandakini and Alaknanda river valleys are formed in the Tungnath Mountains, whereas Chopta is situated at an altitude of twelve thousand feet above sea level. After walking three km from here, there is the thirteen thousand feet high Tungnath temple.
Panch Kedar – RUDRANATH HINDU TEMPLE
Rudranath Temple is a temple of Lord Shiva, one of the Panchkedars, located in the Chamoli district of the Indian state of Uttarakhand, situated at an altitude of 2290 meters above sea level, and is full of grand natural shade. Lord Shankar’s face is worshipped in the Rudranath temple whereas the entire body is worshipped in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu at Pashupatinath. The snow-capped peaks of Nanda Devi and Trishul are visible from the front of the Rudranath temple.
Panch Kedar – MADHYAMAHESHWAR HINDU TEMPLE
Madhyamaheshwar is a Lord Shiva temple, which is part of the famous Panch Kedar. The temple is situated at an altitude of 3497 meters and is the fourth temple to be visited in the Panch Kedar pilgrimage circuit. Other temples in the circuit include Kedarnath, Tungnath, and Rudranath to be visited before Madmaheshwar and Kalpeshwar after Madmaheshwar.
Panch Kedar – KALPESHWAR HINDU TEMPLE
Kalpeshwar is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located at an altitude of 2,200 meters in the picturesque Urgam Valley in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand state in India. The ancient legend of the temple associated with the Pandavas, the heroes of the epic Mahabharata, is the fifth temple of Pancha Kedar, the five bodily divine forms of Shiva; The other four temples in the order of their worship are the Kedarnath, Rudranath, Tungnath, and Madhyamaheshwar temples; All in the Kedar section of the Garhwal Himalaya. Kalpeshwar is the only Panch Kedar temple that can be reached throughout the year.
To know more about more places in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand please check out: 5 Places to visit in Rishikesh.
