Guptkashi Temple-The Shadow of Kashi Vishwanath 

If you ever plan a trip to the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, do pay a visit to the small Kashi i.e. Guptkashi which lies on the route to Kedarnath. The place is famous for the Vishwanath temple of Lord Shiva. Let’s know more about the temple in this article.

The shadow of Kashi Vishwanath – Guptkashi Temple

• Uttarakhand is a famous divine hub. The state has the highest number of temples and spiritual abodes, most of which are in reverence to the Hindu god Shiva who is said to have been the greatest of all gods.
• The Rudraprayag district of the state houses many of these Shiva temples which are named with different names of the Lord.
• The Guptkashi temple is one such holy site, stationed at the place with the same name, Gutpkashi which means the ‘hidden Kashi’.
• Guptkashi is among the three Kashis that are declared holy destinations in the Hindu religion. The other two are Uttarkashi and Varanasi.

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Some Facts  

• Guptkashi is settled at 4327 feet altitude, on the right bank of River Mandakini, the famous Guptkashi temple worships Lord Shiva with the name Vishwanath.
• The name Vishwanath translates to ‘Lord of Universe’ in Hindi. That’s why the temple is also known as the Vishwanath temple.
• The temple courtyard has one more temple and a water tank which is used for different purposes. 
• The temple is all filled with spiritual vibes as the devotees come to show their devotion and love to their favorite God. The temple of Guptkashi reflects the divinity of his majesty.
• The Vishwanath temple has a great significance as it is said to have been the place where Lord Shiva offered the marriage proposal to Devi Parvati.
• That’s why this temple is believed to be the holiest Hindu destination of all. Hindu venerators call this temple one of the Chota Char Dham.

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Temple Outlook

• The Vishwanath temple structure looks quite similar to that of the Kedarnath temple. The temple has two entrances on both sides; the front entrance is the main one.
• The main entrance has an image of Bhairav on the top which is the fierce avatar of Shiva.
• Ardhanarishwar Temple – The small temple beside the main shrine is the Ardhanarishwar temple which is dedicated to the Ardhnarishrishwar (half man-half woman) which is a combined avatar of Shiva and Shakti as one.
• Manikarnika Kund – The Manikarnika Kund is a small water tank in front of the main temple in which a Shivalinga bathes with the two river water representing Bhagirathi (Ganga) and the Yamuna.
• The water of Ganga comes out from the mouth of a cow and the water of the Yamuna river flows out from the elephant’s trunk.

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Mythology

• This ancient temple has a myth associated with it that makes it more significant among the Hindu followers. The Vishwanath temple is the place where Shiva proposed Parvati for marriage after which the marriage was carried out in the Triyuginarayan temple.

Guptakshi Town

• Guptkashi is a small beautiful town in the Rudraprayag district which lies on the Rudraprayag-Gaurikund national highway, the route connecting to the Kedarnath.
• The distance from Guptkashi town to Kedarnath is approx 23.5 kilometers. The place Guptkashi is also famously known as Chota Kashi.
• Guptkashi is not just famous for its religious importance but is also a prominent tourist spot.
• The place is well blessed with natural abundance and one can enjoy the beautiful views of lofty snowy mountains, turbulent Mandakini river, and the serene ecosystem of the Uttarakhand.

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Reaching Guptkashi

• The easily available transport services for Guptkashi are buses, cabs, and cars/jeeps.
• Railways and airways are only reachable to the major cities near the Guptkashi i.e Rishikesh Railway Station and Dehradun Airport.

Preferred Time 

• The preferred season to visit this mystical shrine is summers and winters. This time is perfect to enjoy the religious trip and the climate is suitable to make a trip.
• Avoid monsoons as this would cause inconvenience and spoil the enjoyment.