Kedarnath

One of the most revered temple destinations of India, Kedarnath town is nestled in the mighty Garhwal Himalayas. The town, built around the revered Kedarnath temple, is located at an altitude of 3,580 m, near Chorabari glacier, which is the source of the Mandakini river. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the ancient temple has exquisite architecture and is built of extremely large but evenly shaped grey stone slabs. A conical rock formation inside the temple is worshipped as Lord Shiva in his “Sadashiva” form. The Kedarnath temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is a part of Char Dham pilgrimage circuit, and is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva in India. Behind the Kedarnath temple, stand the Kedarnath peak, Kedar Dome and other Himalayan peaks.

The historical name of this region is "Kedar Khand" and legend says, the Pandavas from the epic Mahabharata, after having defeated the Kauravas, felt guilty of having killed so many people and sought the blessings of Lord Shiva for redemption. The Lord eluded them repeatedly and took refuge at Kedarnath in the form of a bull. The Lord dived into the ground, leaving his hump on the surface at Kedarnath. The remaining portions of Lord Shiva appeared at four other places and are worshipped there as his manifestations. The arms of the Lord appeared at Tungnath, the face at Rudranath, the belly at Madmaheshwar and his locks (hair) at Kalpeshwar. The Kedarnath and four above mentioned shrines make the revered Panch Kedar pilgrimage circuit.

Gaurikund

Gauri Kund is a Hindu pilgrimage site and base camp for trek to Kedarnath Temple, in Uttarakhand, India. It is situated at an altitude of 6502 feet above mean sea level in the Garhwal Himalayas. Gaurikund to Kedarnath (16 km trek / 6 - 7 hours). You can reach Kedarnath only after a trek of 16 km through a paved road from Gaurikund. You can take a horse or ponies to climb up the steep path

Sonprayag

Sonprayag situated at an elevation of 1829 m is famous a site where Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were married. Flanked by nature's bounty and glorious snow capped peaks, it is also a place where River Mandakini meets River Basuki. It is a belief that devotees can achieve Baikunt Dham with the touch of water. Sonprayag is located between Rudraprayag and Gaurikund in-route to Kedarnath

Guptkashi

Guptkashi is one of the prominent spiritual sites in Uttarakhand. It lies en route to Kedarnath, nestled in the lush green Mandakini river valley that has has an abundance of magnolia flowers (locally known as champak). In the early summer months, when the flowers bloom, the air is filled with their sweet fragrance. Set against the backdrop of high snow-covered peaks like Chaukhamba, Guptkashi is a natural paradise. Guptkashi is home to several significant temples as well. Chief of these are Vishwanath Temple and Ardhnarishwar Temple. Legend has it that once the Pandavas from the epic Mahabharata were searching for Lord Shiva and the Lord hid in Guptkashi. Thus, the main temple here is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Another attraction here is Manikarnika Kund, where it is said the streams of rivers Ganga and Yamuna meet. Just 14 away from Guptkashi is Phata, where the helipad for helicopter services to Kedarnath is located

Rudranath Temple

Rudranath Temple is a temple of Lord Shiva situated in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand state of India,which is one of the Panchkedars .Located at an altitude of 2290 meters above sea level, the Rudranath temple is full of grand natural shade. In the Rudranath temple, Lord Shankar’s Ekanan means that the face is worshiped, while the whole body is worshiped in the Pashupatinath of Nepal’s capital of Kathmandu. The Nanda Devi and the snow-covered peaks of Trishul are visible from the front of the Rudranath temple.

Triyuginarayan

The Triyuginarayan village in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand makes for an ideal destination for all those in search of a revered place to get married.While finding the right life partner is actually a big deal for all of us, finding the ideal wedding location is also an equally big one. Mostly, those in search of an ideal location, pick a hotel, or a resort, or a destination wedding for their big day.That's where this beautiful Uttarakhand village comes into the picture. Why so? Triyuginarayan is famed for its namesake temple that is dedicated to Lord Vishnu; as per the legends, the temple is where Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati got married.

Kalimath

Kalimath is a village in Rudraprayag District of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is regarded as a divine place and shakti peeth. Kalimath is the only place where the goddess Kali is worshipped along with her sisters Laxmi and Saraswati. No idol is worshipped in the temple. Instead the Sri Yantra is the object of devotion. On one day each year the goddess is taken out and Puja is performed at midnight, with only the chief priest present.

Ukhimath

This is the winter seat of Lord Kedarnath and worship is done here during the winters when the temples of Kedarnath remain closed. The temples of Usha and Aniruddha, Lord Shiva and Parvati are worth visiting. Ukimath is at a distance of 41 kms. from Rudraprayag and 13 kms. from Guptkashi. It is situated at an elevation of 1311 mts. Also referred as winter Kedarnath, Ukhimath is the house of Lord Kedarnath during winter season.

Augustyamuni

Augustmuni is a town on the banks of the Mandakini River in Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand, India. It is located 16 kilometers from the city of Rudraprayag, and is named after the Hindu/Yogic Siddhar Agastya, one of the original seven rishis or Saptarishis

Kartik Swami

Kartik Swami is the temple that is dedicated to son of Lord Shiva Kumar Kartekya, which lies at an altitude of 3050 m. As per the legend, the competition between sons of Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati i.e. Lord Ganesh and Kumar Kartekya for the privilege of taking faster round of Universe will be worshipped first was made, when the cleverness of Lord Ganesha impressed Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati and he win. Others say, Lord Kartik was so furious, he sacrificed his physical self at Kronch Parvat to appease his parents.

The temple is its atop the mountain, silhouetted against the backdrop of snow-covered Himalayan peaks, painting a dreamy image. When it rains, the ambience becomes surreal and it seems the temple is rising from the clouds. A 3-km trek from Kanakchauri village ending with an 80-step-climb leads to the serene temple adorned with thousands of bells. It is believed that offering a bell here on Kartik Purnima can make one's wishes come true. The sandhya aarti or evening prayers are especially enchanting here, with the entire temple premises echoing with tolling bells and hymns.