Panch kedar is the five temples of Lord Shiva which are believed to be part of the body of Shiva which appeared at five places in the city of Kedarnath. It is said that the Pandavas built temples at each of these 5 places. The names of the five temples included in the Panch Kedar Yatra are Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath, Madhyamaheshwar and Kalpeshwar, of these, four Kedars remain closed in winter while the doors of the fifth Kedar, Kalpeshwar, remain open throughout the year.
It is believed that these five temples are connected to Mahabharata. When Pandavas kept searching for Lord Shiva from one place to another for a long time, Mahadev appeared to them in five different parts. The Pandavas built these five temples, the Panch Kedars, to commemorate and worship Shiva. So let us tell you about those five temples, and also how you can do Panch Kedar Yatra.
Mythological belief is that Lord Shiva is worshiped in Kedarnath in the form of a body shaped like the back of a bull. The navel of the Lord is seen in Madhyameshwar, arms in Tunganath, face in Rudranath and hair in Kalpeshwar. Panch Kedar is located in Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts.
Suggest Also: Best Guidance of Tungnath Mandir 2024
Panch Kedar Yatra 2024 Details
It takes at least 14 days to visit all the five temples of Lord Shiva. There is a circular route here which is the only way to visit all the Panch Kedar temples. And for the most part you have to walk from one temple to another.
The best way to reach Panch Kedar is by bus service which leaves daily from Gaurikund near Kedar Nath. Timings of this bus are daily at 5 am and stops at every place for Panch Kedar temples.
Panch Kedar Yatra starts from Kedarnath temple. And to go to Kedarnath Dham, first of all you have to reach Gaurikund via Kund. You can see the Panch Kedar Temple route map as shown in the above image. Another option is helicopter service from Fata to Kedarnath. The second destination is Madhyamaheshwar, third is Tunganath, fourth is Rudranath and last fifth is Kalpeshwar Temple.
Panch Kedar History
According to the Mahabharata, when the Pandavas were searching for Lord Shiva, they transformed themselves into bulls to avoid detection. However, when Bhima tried to catch the bull, it disappeared. After that he appeared in the form of body parts at five places. As a result, these five places are currently known as Panch Kedar.
Hump was seen at Kedarnath, arms at Tunganath, navel at Madhyamaheshwar, face at Rudranath and hair and head at Kalpeshwar.
It is said that Pandavas had built temples at these five places to worship Lord Shiva. Many devotees of Lord Shiva participate in the Panch Kedar Yatra at all the five Shiva temples mentioned below.
Panch Kedar Names of Panchkedar Yatra
1. Kedarnath Temple (First Panchkedar)
2. Madhyamaheshwar Temple (Second Panchkedar)
3. Tungnath Temple (Third Panchkedar)
4. Rudranath Temple (4th Panchkedar)
5. Kalpeshwar Temple (Fifth Panchkedar)
1. Kedarnath Temple (First Panch Kedar)
Kedarnath is a holy Hindu town located in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. It is one of the small Char Dham situated in the Northern Himalayas. The height of Kedarnath is 3584 meters above sea level. And Kedarnath Dham is near the mouth of Mandakini river. Kedarnath temple is situated in the lap of Garhwal Himalayan ranges and is visited by thousands of tourists every year.
Tips to visit Kedarnath Panch Kedar Yatra
- Mules and porters can also be found on rent. You can check the official price chart before hiring.
- For security reasons, be sure to check the identity cards of porters and mule owners.
- When traveling in monsoon, check with local authorities and tour guides about the weather conditions before starting your trip.
- Photography is not allowed inside the temple due to religious reasons. And it would be wise to follow the rules laid down by the temple authorities.
- Ukhimath or Ukhimath is a short distance south of Guptkashi. It has a colorful temple and monastery, with several small chambers for meditation. And Kedarnath is worshiped in Ukhimath only when there is snowfall on the mountains in winter.
- The doors of Kedar Dham remain closed for 6 months during winter. During this period, Shiva is worshiped with full rituals in Ukhimath. All the different forms of Lord Shiva are present in Ukhimath. So if you are not able to have darshan of Panch Kedar, then having darshan of all the deities in Okhimath is equivalent to the blessings of all the forms of Lord Shiva.
- This monastery is also home to immortal saints like Parashurama and Vishwamitra as well as the Tantric goddesses Varahi and Chandika.
- Ukhimath has many temples of Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Usha, Mandhata and Aniruddha. It is believed that the marriage of Usha-Aniruddha took place in Ukhimath. Usha lived here with her father.
2. Madhyamaheshwar Temple (Second Panchkedar)
A local bus runs every day between Gopeshwar and Guptkashi and from there you can return to Guptkashi and then go to Okhimath and visit Mansuna village.
It is a 24 km walk from Mansuna village to Madhyamaheshwar (3,497 m), which is 30 km from Guptkashi. You can stay overnight in Ransi, and then you can go to Gondar (3 km) and climb 10 km to Madhyamaheshwar.
The temple here is a small stone temple dedicated to the central (central) part of the bull form of Lord Shiva.
The mysterious snow-capped Himalayas are on the right, lush green alpine plains are on the left and dense forests serve as the backdrop. Grassland huts, village houses, thousands of years old Madmaheshwar Temple and heavenly views complete this town. The architecture of the temple is a classic North Indian style.
Read Also: 5000 Years Old Shiva Temple In Chennai
Tips to visit Madhyamaheshwar Panch Kedar Yatra
- The temple remains closed from November to April. So if you are planning to visit the temple during winter. Then don’t forget to check the opening and closing dates.
- If anyone faces difficulty in trekking or carrying luggage, especially elderly people who are not physically fit. Then you can also find mules and porters on rent, especially during peak season.
- Madhyamaheshwar Temple timings are from 6 am to 9 pm.
3. Tungnath Temple (Third Panch Kedar Yatra)
After Kedarnath, Tunganath is the most popular temple in Panch Kedar. Tunganath is the highest temple in India in terms of height. The height of Tunganath Temple is approximately 3,680 meters or 12,065 feet. This is the highest Shiva temple in the world.
Near Tungnath are the beautiful hills of Neelkanth, Kedarnath and Nanda Devi. The Shiva temple here is on a stone platform, from where the rock is visible. The temple has five sculptures of the faces of the deities Vyasadeva and Kalabhairava as well as the Pandavas. And there is also a small temple of Mata Parvati here.
You can reach here by trekking from Chopta (7 km, 4 hours), which is 37 km from Ukhimath. The distance from Chopta to Tunganath is approximately 7 km which can be covered in 4 hours walking distance.
Peacefully situated on the Chandranath mountain, Tunga Nath is the highest Shiva temple in the world and the highest Panch Kedar temple in Uttarakhand.
It is one of the third Kedar (Tritiya Kedar) in the sequence of Panch Kedar Yatra 2023. Tungnath is at an altitude of 3,680 meters above sea level. And it is considered to be more than 1000 years old.
Tips to visit Tungnath Panch Kedar Yatra
- Trekking to Tung Nath can be easy for a physically fit person.
- The trek route is comparatively easy but running, cycling and swimming can all help improve cardiovascular endurance.
- One can also hire mules and porters, especially during peak season.
- Avoid traveling during monsoon season. Because there is a danger of landslides during rains in the high mountains of Uttarakhand. After landslides the roads get blocked and you may get stuck there.
- Being located in a remote area, facilities like ATM and petrol pump are not available in Tungnath, to get these facilities one has to go to Gopeshwar or Ukhimath.
4. Rudranath Temple (Fourth Panch Kedar Yatra)
After this you can go to Gopeshwar and then Sagar by road. From there it is a 24 km trek to Rudranath, dedicated to the head of Lord Shiva.
There are breathtaking views of Trishul, Nanda Devi and mountain peaks and below are small lakes flowing with the magic of nature’s beauty.
To reach Rudranath, you can also go on foot from Kalpeshwar. And Rudranath is a highly revered temple of Lord Shiva which is peacefully situated in the Garhwal Himalayas.
This is the fourth temple to be visited in the holy Panch Kedar Yatra 2024. The divine temple is hidden inside rhododendron forests and alpine meadows.
Tips to visit Rudranath Panch Kedar Yatra
- An exciting journey to Rudranath Temple can start from Sagar village, Helang or Urgam village.
- Compared to other temples of Panch Kedar, Rudranath temple is the most difficult to reach.
- Adding to the glory of Rudranath are the Himalayan mountain ranges Nanda Devi, Trishul and Nanda Ghunti.
- Like Kedarnath temple, Rudranath temple also remains closed from November to April due to heavy snowfall.
- Daily morning aarti starts at 8:00 pm and evening aarti starts at 6:30 pm in the holy Rudranath temple.
- The route to Rudranath is challenging and risky but equally rewarding and adventurous.
- Before you actually start your trek or journey, it is wise to check with local authorities, tour guides or tour operators about the weather and road conditions, especially during monsoon.
- Having a skilled and experienced guide with you will be useful for you as the guide will have good knowledge of the route and the trekkers will not lose their way.
5. Kalpeshwar Temple (Fifth Panch Kedar Yatra)
To reach Kalpeshwar Temple you will have to travel by bus to Helang village, 14 km south of Joshimath, and from Helang you will have to walk 9 km to Urgam village, where basic accommodation and food is available. From there it is a 1.5 km walk to Kalpeshwar Temple. Kalpeshwar is dedicated to the locks of hair of Lord Shiva. And it is made of rock which is entered through a cave.
Kalpeshwar is the last and fifth temple in the list of Panch Kedar Yatra 2023. And it is the only temple of the holy Panch Kedar which remains open throughout the year.
Lord Shiva is worshiped in the form of Jata in Kalpeshwar. And the path to this holy temple goes through dense forests and lush green meadows. There is also an old Kalpavriksha tree, which is considered a wish-fulfilling tree in Hindu mythology.
Tips to visit Kalpeshwar Panch Kedar Yatra
- The temple is completely immersed in nature and there are no shops or facilities around it.
- Rudranath temple can be reached through a trek from Kalpeshwar. The trek route from Kalpeshwar to Rudranath should be checked.
- Photography may be prohibited inside the temple and especially inside the sanctum sanctorum.
- Please follow the guidelines given by the temple authorities and respect the sanctity of the place.
Best time to visit Panch Kedar Yatra
Panch Kedar opens for a period of 6 months, usually from the months of April to October. The best time to visit Panch Kedar is usually in the months of May, June, September and October.
Read Also: How To Reach Adiyogi Shiva Statue In 2023
Conclusion
The Panch Kedar Yatra are dedicated to Lord Shiva and are located in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, India. The five temples are Kedarnath, Tunganath, Rudranath, Madhyamaheshwar and Kalpeshwar. These temples are not easily accessible and one has to travel on foot to reach them. This trek is considered to be a spiritual experience in itself as it involves crossing picturesque mountains, lush green forests and fast flowing rivers.
Overall, the Panch Kedar Yatra is a journey of self-discovery, faith and devotion for Hindu pilgrims.
People Also Read This
- Suggest Also: ISKCON Temple Noida
- Suggest Also: Tungnath Mahadev Temple
- Suggest Also: Sheetla Mata Mandir Gurgaon
- Suggest Also: World Biggest Hanuman Statue
- Suggest Also: Famous Hanuman Temple In Andhra Pradesh
- Suggest Also: Hauz Khas Fort Delhi Tickets
- Suggest Also: Chokhi Dhani Noida Ticket Price
- Suggest Also: Outing One Day Trip From Delhi
- Suggest Also: ISKCON Temple Noida Ticket Price
- Suggest Also: Best Places To Visit In October In India For Couples
- Suggest Also: One Day Trip Travels For Delhi 2023- Tour Package
- Suggest Also: Best 15 Places To Visit In Noida For Couples In 2023
- Suggest Also: Best 20 Places to Visit in Delhi With Family and Kids in 2023
FAQs
How many days are required for panch kedar yatra?
It takes at least 14 days to visit all the five temples of Lord Shiva (Panch Kedar Yatra). There is a circular route here which is the only way to visit all the Panch Kedar temples. And for the most part you have to walk from one temple to another.
Is Panch Kedar trek difficult?
This trek follows a challenging but awe-inspiring route that passes through dense forests, lush grasslands and steep terrain. Pilgrims experience a harmonious blend of spirituality and adventure as they walk the winding paths connecting these sacred pilgrimage sites.
What is the best time to visit Panch Kedar Yatra?
This trek is considered challenging, with the level of difficulty varying for each temple. Altitude and weather conditions also contribute to the challenge.
