Gauri Kund Kedarnath Temple near Sonprayag Uttarakhand

Gauri Kund is the very point from where starts the Kedarnath Trek, is a place with both natural as well as cultural significance. It is one of the holiest sites for Hindus and is believed to purify and bless people who take a dip in its holy hot water Kund. The Gauri Kund hot water spring that forms the pond at Gaurikund has been known to have interesting healing properties too.

Gaurikund Kedarnath

Gaurikund is a place of many legends. It is said to be where Goddess Parvati sat and meditated for a thousand years to win Lord Shiva as her husband in Hindu mythology.  Another legend has it that it was here that Lord Ganesha acquired his elephant head which was chopped off by Lord Shiva. The main temple here is dedicated to Goddess Parvati and is known as the Temple.

In Hindu mythology, Gauri (the goddess) was said to have fallen in love with Lord Shiva and ran away from her parents’ house to marry him. Her parents found her at Gaurikund and tried to bring her back home by force but she refused to go back with them and jumped into the Kund. Since then, it is called Gauri Kund.

The temple of Gauri Kund was built by King Vikramaditya in the 7th century AD. The temple of Goddess Gauri is situated on the banks of the Vasuki River and it is believed that this river was created by Lord Shiva from his tresses. This temple is one of the most important places for Hindus in Uttarakhand, as it has been mentioned in Skanda Purana and other scriptures.

In 2013, Gaurikhund was hit by a flash flood that killed more than 50000 people and destroyed almost everything in its path.

Gaurikund to Kedarnath

Gaurikund to Kedarnath distance is about 16 km by trek that requires approx. 5-6 hours to reach the temple by trek but it depends upon your physical strength and mental ability to acclimate to the local climate.  Gaurikund to Kedarnath Trekking Distance is not difficult but due to adverse geography and frequent climate change, make feel hard to go by trek.