Discover 5 Kedar in Uttarakhand and Name and location, India

In the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, five prestigious temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, including Kedarnath, are collectively known as the 5 Kedar in Uttarakhand

You must already know about Kedarnath Temple, one of the Char Dhams located in the Garhwal region of the Himalayan state Uttarakhand. Along with Kedarnath, there are five Shiva temples here.

These five Shiva temples are collectively called 5 Kedar in Uttarakhand. The 5 Kedar is described in the Skanda Purana in the Kedarkhand section. According to mythological beliefs, the Panch Kedar temples were built by the Pandavas.

Special for Shiva devotees as well as trekking enthusiasts

This temple group holds special importance for Shiva devotees as well as people fond of trekking. Among the Panch Kedar, the first Kedar is Kedarnath, the second Kedar is Madmaheshwar, the third Kedar is Tungnath, the fourth Kedar is Rudranath, and the fifth Kedar is Kalpeshwar Mahadev.

The special thing is that you can visit all 5 Kedar temples in a single journey. Amid the beautiful Himalayan peaks, you can reach these temples on foot, passing through dense forests at times and vast meadows (bugyals) at other times. During the winter season, like Kedarnath, there is heavy snowfall around all these temples.

Lord Shiva in the form of a buffalo ( 5 Kedar in Uttarakhand )

According to mythological legend, after winning the Mahabharata war, the Pandavas wanted to seek Lord Shiva’s blessings to be freed from the sin of fratricide. Searching for Lord Shiva, the Pandavas reached the Himalayas, but Shankar Ji did not want to give them a darshan.

So, meditating inwardly, he took residence in Kedarnath. When the Pandavas reached Kedarnath, Lord Shiva assumed the form of a buffalo (Mahish). When recognized by the Pandavas, Shiva partially submerged into the ground; Bhima held the upper part of the buffalo’s back, and then Shiva gave them darshan, freeing them from their sins.

Since then, the buffalo’s back is worshipped in the form of a lingam-like figure at Kedarnath Temple. At Tungnath, the arms (bāhū) are worshipped; at Rudranath, the face (mukh); at Madmaheshwar, the navel (nabhi); and at Kalpeshwar, the hair (jata) of Shiva are worshipped.

How to reach these 5 Kedar in Uttarakhand

Kedarnath:

This temple is one of the Char Dhams in Uttarakhand and is also one of the twelve Jyotirlingas in India. To reach Kedarnath, Rishikesh is the nearest railway station. From here, one can take a taxi or bus to Gaurikund, followed by a 16 km trek on foot. Palki (palanquin), horse, and helicopter services are also available.

Madmaheshwar:

Here, the middle part of Lord Shiva is worshipped. Inside the temple, a serpent-shaped Shiva Linga and Ardhanarishwar (half Shiva and half Parvati) are installed. To visit this temple, one has to go via Ukhi Math in Rudraprayag district to Uniana, from where a 21 km trek to Madmaheshwar starts.

Tungnath:

This is the highest-altitude Shiva temple in India, located in Rudraprayag district. From Chopta, a 3 km steep climb leads to Tungnath. On the way, one can see beautiful bugyals and Buransh (rhododendron) trees, with Chandrashila peak just above the temple. To reach here, travel from Rishikesh to Baia Road, Ukhimath, then stop there, and the next day proceed to Chopta, which is 2 km from Ukhimath, for the Tungnath journey.

Rudranath:

Here, Lord Shiva’s face (mukh) is worshipped. This is the only place in India where the face of Shiva is worshipped. Rudranath is located in Chamoli district. From here, Nanda Devi and Trishul peaks can be seen very closely. From Rishikesh, take the road to Gopeshwar, followed by approximately 20 km trek to reach Rudranath.

Kalpeshwar:

Also known as Kalpnath, this temple houses the hair (jata) of Lord Shiva. It is located in the Urgam Valley of Chamoli district. This is the only Panch Kedar temple at a lower altitude and its gates remain open throughout the year, unlike other Kedar temples which are closed in winter.

During the month of Sawan, the darshan here is considered highly auspicious. Earlier, one had to trek 10 km from Urgam village to reach the temple, but now, with the road from Helang to Devgram, the trek is reduced to just 300 meters.

Suggested Read – Panch Badri – A Soulful Journey of the Five Temples of Lord Vishnu

Connected to Pandavas

All these temples were built by the Pandavas and their descendants. Among these, Kedarnath, the second Kedar Madmaheshwar, the third Kedar Tungnath, and the fourth Kedar Rudranath remain closed during winter. The fifth Kedar, Kalpeshwar, is the only temple open for darshan throughout the year.

Among them, Kedarnath is the main shrine, which is one of the famous Char Dhams of the Himalayas. At Kedarnath, Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of a bull (Vṛishabha) back-shaped idol. Whereas, at Madmaheshwar, the navel of the Lord is worshipped; at Tungnath, the arms; at Rudranath, the face; and at Kalpeshwar, the hair (jata) is worshipped.

According to mythological stories, after the Mahabharata war, when the Pandavas set out to seek forgiveness from Lord Shiva to be freed from their sins, Mahadev took the form of a bull to escape from the Pandavas and moved towards the Himalayas, where he disappeared.

But Bhima recognized him and held the hump of Shiva in the form of a bull. Only then did Lord Shiva give them darshan. His body in bull form appeared at five separate locations. Today, these five locations are known as Panch Kedar. Each temple is dedicated to one part of Shiva’s body, and each site has its own mystical power and beauty.

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