Sandohan Devi, Lucknow

One of the most prominent centres of religious faith in Lucknow is Sandohan Devi Temple. As per legend, about 500 years ago, Maa appeared in dreams of a devotee and asked to find Idol in a well near Chaupatiyan. He saw the same dream during Navratri days.  At first, he thought it mere superstition. Anyhow he traced inside the well and found the idol.  A large number of devotees thronged the place to have a 'darshan'.  It was day of "Ekadashi".   The saint who founded the temple took 'samadhi' at this place.

Particularly on Ekadashi during Navratra, a number of devotees visit the temple to have 'Darshan'.  All the doubts (संदेह) of the devotee are removed by the Goddess and hence the temple was named Sandohan Devi. 

This is a very famous temple and newly wed brides and mothers make it a point to visit and seek blessings of the Maa.

MURUDESHWAR

Shri Murudewshwar Temple

Murudeshwar is a town in Bhatkal Taluk of Uttara Kannada district in the state of Karnataka, India. Murudeshwar is another name of the Hindu god Shiva. Famous for the world's second-tallest Shiva statue, the town lies on the coast of the Arabian Sea and is also famous for the Murudeshwar Temple. Murudeshwar has a railway station on the Mangalore-Mumbai Konkan railway route.

LEGEND

The origin of the name "Murudeshwar" dates to the time of Ramayana.

The Hindu Gods attained immortality and invincibility by worshiping a divine Lingam called the Atma-Linga. The Lanka King Ravana wanted to attain immortality by obtaining the Atma-Linga (Soul of Shiva). Since the Atma-Linga belonged to Lord Shiva, Ravana worshipped Shiva with devotion. Pleased by his prayers, Lord Shiva appeared before him and asked him what he wanted. By this time Narada had asked Lord Vishnu to change Ravana's mind. As a result, Ravana asks for Goddess Parvati, and Lord Shiva offers her to him. On his way back to Lanka Narada tells Ravana that Lord had not given him the real Parvathi and that the real Parvathi was in Pathala. So Ravana frees his companion, goes to Pathala and marries a king's daughter, assuming her to be the real Parvathi. He then returns to Lanka, where his mother asks him for the Linga. Ravana then comes to know of the tricks played on him by Lord Vishnu. He therefore prays to Lord Shiva again, begging for his forgiveness.

Lord Shiva appears and this time, Ravana requests the AtmaLinga as his boon. Lord Shiva agrees to give him the boon with the condition that it should never be placed on the ground. If the AtmaLinga was ever placed on the ground, all the powers would return to Shiva again. Having obtained his boon, Ravana started back on his journey to Lanka. Narada, who came to know of this incident, realised that with the AtmaLinga, Ravana may obtain immortality and create havoc on earth. He approached the Lord Ganesh and requested him to prevent the AtmaLinga from reaching Lanka. Lord Ganesh knew that Ravana was a very devoted person who used to perform prayer ritual in the evening every day without fail. He decided to make use of this fact and came up with a plan to confiscate the AtmaLinga from Ravana.

Upset by the thought that Ravana would become more powerful by worshipping the Atmalinga; the Gods devised a plan to take it away from Ravana. The Gods knew that Ravana being a pious devotee of Lord Shiva was punctual in performing the periodical rites everyday.

 As Ravana approached Gokarna, Lord Vishnu blotted the sun with his Sudarshana Chakra. Thinking that it was evening, Ravana was in two minds whether to put down the Atmalinga or skip his evening rites. Just then, Lord Ganesh came to that place in the guise of a Brahmin boy. Ravana called the boy and asked him to hold the linga until he completed his evening rites. The boy agreed on the condition that he'd keep the linga down if Ravana didn't return before the boy called out his name thrice. Ravana agreed and went about his rituals, but by then the boy called out his name thrice and place the Atmalinga on the earth, and it got firmly entrenched in the earth.

When Vishnu withdrew his Sudarshan chakra, Ravana saw bright sunlight and understood that he was tricked by the Gods. He became furious. Due to the force exerted by Ravana, some pieces were scattered. One such piece from the head of the linga is said to have fallen in present day Suratkhal. The famous Sadashiva temple is said to be built around that piece of linga. He came to the Linga and tried to uproot it with all his might. But the idol did not budge even a little. The idol's shape now looked like a cow's ear. Hence, the place is known as Gokarna. [Go means Cow and karna means Ear in sanskrit.] The crest fallen Ravana was deeply upset and beat the boy on his head. In anger he pulled and threw the case of linga, which fell 23 miles away at Sajjeshwar. He threw the lid to the south 27 miles away at Guneshwara (now Gunavanthe) in the form of “Vamdev Linga”. He threw the cloth wrapped to the idol to south, 32 miles to a place called Mrideshwar in Kanduka-Giri (Kanduka Hill) on shore of sea. Mrideshwar has been renamed to Murudeshwar. It took the form of “Aghora” at Murudeshwar. The thread winding the idol was flung to south at Dhareshwara, came to known as “Tathpurusha Linga”. There is a depiction of this story below the Shiva idol in the form of a cave.

Shiva learnt all this from wind god Vayu. He came on earth along with Parvathi and Ganesha and visited all these five places and worshipped the linga. He declared that these would be his Panchakshetras and those who worshipped lingas at those places would be free from all sins and their wishes would be fulfilled and ultimately reach the abode of Shiva.

MURUDESHWAR TEMPLE AND RAJA GOPURA 
The temple is entirely modernized with exception of the sanctum sanctorum which is still dark and retains its composure. The main deity is Sri Mridesa Linga, also called Murudeswara. The linga is believed to be a piece of the original Atma Linga and is about two feet below ground level. The devotees performing special sevas like Abhisheka, Rudrabhisheka, and Rathotsava etc. can view the deity by standing before the threshold of the sanctum and the Lingam is illuminated by oil lamps held close by the priests. The Lingam is essentially a rough rock inside a hollowed spot in the ground. Entry into the sanctum is banned for all devotees.

This temple, dedicated to Shiva, is built on the Kanduka Hill which is surrounded on three sides by the waters of the Arabian Sea. 

The Rajagopura at the entrance of the Temple is the world's tallest, standing at 249 feet. Inaugurated in May 2008, this mammoth structure is the latest addition to the Temple. The Gopura has 22 floors and is the only Gopura to be fitted with elevators. On the top floor, one can enjoy beautiful view of the entire place.

There is also a Rameshwar linga at the bottom of the hill, where devotees can do seva themselves. A Shaneswara temple has been built next to the idol of Shiva. Two life-size elephants in concrete stand guard at the steps leading to it. The entire temple and temple complex, including the 237.5-feet-tall Raja Gopura, is one among the tallest, was constructed to its present form by businessman and philanthropist R. N. Shetty.

STATUE OF LORD SHIVA 

A huge towering statue of Lord Shiva, visible from great distances, is present in the temple complex. It is the second highest statue of Lord Shiva in the world. The tallest Shiva statue is in Nepal known as the (Kailashnath Mahadev Statue). The statue is 123 feet (37 m) in height and took about two years to build. The statue was built by Shivamogga's Kashinath and several other sculptors, financed by businessman and philanthropist R.N. Shetty, at a cost of approximately Rupees 50 million. The idol is designed such that it gets the sunlight directly and thus appears sparkling. Originally, the statue had four arms and was adorned in gold paint. However, large wind gusts blew one arm off (the one that held a small drum), and rain dissolved the paint.

Besides the temple, the pilgrim finds himself in the midst of numerous sculptures on the Kanduka hill. The Geetopadesha, Sun chariot, the sculpture of Lord Ganesh receiving the Atmalinga from Ravana in the form of a young boy, and others dot the landscape of the hill. On the very top is the Shiva statue. Beneath the statue is a cavern with impressive life-size sculptures depicting the story of Murudeshwar narrated through an impressive sound and light show.

Not to be missed out are the Thirthas (water streams) like Bheema thirtha and Agni thirtha which originate on the hillock.

This tranquil temple town surrounded by the sea on three sides, is the ideal destination for the seeker.

HOW TO REACH

Murudeshwar, the temple town with a vibrant scenic beauty and golden history, is located on the Arabian seafront in North Kanada District, Karnataka. It is situated on the NH-17, about 160 kms north of the port city of Mangalore.

The nearest airport is also at Mangalore. Daily flights operate from Bangalore to Mangalore. Murudeshwar is well connected by road and most buses plying on the NH-17 between Mangalore and Mumbai stop at Murudeshwar. There are overnight buses also from Bangalore to Murudeshwar.

But the most picturesque and memorable experience would be to reach Murudeshwar from Mangalore or Goa by Konkan Railway and alight at Murudeshwar railway station adjoining the National Highway. Many trains stop at this station.

Murudeshwar can be visited throughout the year. Each season brings out a different hue of the coastal town.

The ancient temple which stood for ages was fast dilapidating. The locals tried rebuilding the sanctum sanctorum earlier, but it did not last long. The present temple complex is the result of the painstaking efforts of Sri. R. N Shetty. He started renovation in 1977 with a team of craftsmen and artisans brought in from Tamilnadu. The temple is mainly built of granite.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS

The calm and wide sea soothes the senses even before you enter the water. A stroll along the seaside pathway with green landscape on one side and the sea on the other is the ultimate relaxation.

There's more for the children, and the child in the vacationer. There's a wave pool and water park also nestled on the hillock.

Definitely not to be missed on a trip to Murudeshwar, is the spectacular sunset across the sea on a clear evening. The best view would be from the Sunset Point next to the wave pool.

And if you just want to relax and unwind, head to the seaside canteen that's built on piers raised from the seabed.

CONTACT

Mhatobar Sri Murudeshwar Temple

Murudeshwar

NH - 17, Bhatkal Taluk

North Kanada District

Karnataka. India.

Phone: 08385 - 268524, 268972

SPECIAL THANKS  All pictures courtesy Shri Shubhang Tiwari, Bangalore

Maa Sankatha Devi, Raebareli

Maa Sankatha Devi temple situated on the banks of River Ganga in Geganso area which is south of Sareni area in Raebareli district of Uttar Pradesh.

The deity of Goddess Durga is famous as 16th out of 32 Shaktipeeth of Devi.

The area is believed to be place where Maharshi Garga performed penance and the place was known as Gargashram which is now being used by locals as geganso.

As per historians, Maharshi Punjraj baba got the idol excavated and performed praan pratishthha. The area is also known for association with Dronacharya & Ashwatathama of Mahabarata period. Pandavas are also believed to have done puja here in times of need. 

During Mughal period , Aurangzeb sent his army to destroy the temple but was sent back.

The temple is famous and the devotees visit in large numbers especially during the auspicious period of Navratras.

Shool Tankeshwar Temple, Varanasi

Location

Shool Tankeshwar is located at Dasaswamedh ghat steps, Varanasi. The temple is quite famous and also known as Bada Linga.

Legend

According to Kashi Khand, Chapter 69, the place where Lord Shiva wore the skin of Gajasur after slaying him was called Rudra Vasam. (Kindly refer to Krithi Vaseshwar)

Once the Lord, in his form as Krithi Vaseshwar, was sitting alongwith Goddess Parvati when Nandi offered his prayers and stated that there were 68 places of worship dedicated to Lord Shiva in this holy place. Various Idols/Shiv Lings have been brought from several other places by Nandi and installed in Kashi.

Near Prayag teerth one can find Shool Tankeshwar Linga. A devotee who takes bath in Prayag teerth and worships Shool Tankeshwar will attain the benefits equivalent to hundred times the benefits which would have accrued to him had he taken bath in Prayag (Sangam-Allahabad). Besides, the devotees will find all round happiness and attain Moksha.

When River Ganga approached Kashi with a violent force, Lord Shiva threw his Trishul (Trident) hard into the ground, just before the entry point to the south of Kashi. By this action, Ganga had to slow down her force and she agreed to flow gently through Kashi and that she would always remain in Kashi, giving happiness to the residents. Scientifically speaking, the River Ganga is perennial in Kashi and at some points, even during the dry summer, the depth is over 130 feet. Accordingly, people believe that Shool Tankeshwar temple is at a point almost 2 kms south of Assi.

But according to Kashi Khand, the place has been mentioned in the vicinity of Prayag teerth, which is almost a part of Dasaswamedh ghat.

Types of Pooja

The place of worship is open from 6AM to 12 Noon and from 05.30PM to 10PM. Devotees can perform pooja on their own.

Madhyamaheshwar (4th Panch Kedar)

Madhyamaheshwar (मध्यमहेश्वर) or Madmaheshwar is a Hindu temple dedicated to god Shiva, located in the Mansuna village of Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand, India. Situated at an elevation of 3,497 m (11,473.1 ft), it is the fourth temple to be visited in the Panch Kedar pilgrimage circuit, comprising five Shiva temples in the Garhwal region. The other temples in the circuit include: Kedarnath, Tungnath and Rudranath to be visited before Madmaheshwar and Kalpeshwar to be visited after Madmaheshwar. The middle (madhya) or belly part or navel (nabhi) of the bull, considered a divine form of Shiva, is worshipped at this temple, believed to be built by the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahabharata

Mythology

The most famous folk legend about Panch Kedar relates to the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The Pandavas defeated and killed their cousins — the Kauravas in the epic Kurukshetra war. They wished to atone for the sins of committing fratricide (gotra hatya) and Brāhmanahatya (killing of Brahmins — the priest class) during the war. Thus, they handed over the reigns of their kingdom to their kin and left in search of the god Shiva and to seek his blessings. First, they went to the holy city of Varanasi (Kashi), believed to Shiva's favourite city and famous for its Shiva temple. But, Shiva wanted to avoid them as he was deeply incensed by the death and dishonesty at the Kurukshetra war and was, therefore, insensitive to Pandavas' prayers. Therefore, he assumed the form of a bull (Nandi) and hid in the Garhwal region.

Not finding Shiva in Varanasi, the Pandavas went to Garhwal Himalayas. Bhima, the second of the five Pandava brothers, then standing astride two mountains started to look for Shiva. He saw a bull grazing near Guptakashi (“hidden Kashi” — the name derived from the hiding act of Shiva). Bhima immediately recognized the bull to be Shiva. Bhima caught hold of the bull by its tail and hind legs. But the bull-formed Shiva disappeared into the ground to later reappear in parts, with the hump raising in Kedarnath, the arms appearing in Tunganath, the nabhi (navel) and stomach surfacing in Madhyamaheshwar, the face showing up at Rudranath and the hair and the head appearing in Kalpeshwar. The Pandavas pleased with this reappearance in five different forms, built temples at the five places for venerating and worshipping Shiva. The Pandavas were thus freed from their sins. It is also believed that the fore portions of Shiva appeared at Pashupatinath, Kathmandu — the capital of Nepal.

A variant of the tale credits Bhima of not only catching the bull, but also stopping it from disappearing. Consequently, the bull was torn asunder into five parts and appeared at five locations in the Kedar Khand of Garhwal region of the Himalayas. After building the Panch Kedar temples, the Pandavas mediated at Kedarnath for salvation, performed yagna (fire sacrifice) and then through the heavenly path called the Mahapanth (also called Swargarohini), attained heaven or salvation.

After completing the pilgrimage of Lord Shiva's darshan at the Panch Kedar temples, it is an unwritten religious rite to visit Lord Vishnu at the Badrinath Temple, as a final affirmatory proof by the devotee that he has sought blessings of Lord Shiva

Structure

The temple in the north Indian style of architecture is situated in a lush meadow, just below a high ridge. The older, so-called 'Vriddh-Madmaheshwar', temple is a tiny blackened shrine on the ridge, which looks straight up at the commanding Chaukhamba peaks. In the current temple, a navel-shaped Shiva-lingam, made of black stone, is enshrined in the sanctum. There are two other smaller shrines, one for Shiva’s consort Parvati and the other dedicated to the Ardhanarishwara, a half-Shiva half-Parvati image. Bhima, the second Pandava brother is believed to have built this temple and worshipped Shiva here. To the right of the main temple there is a small temple where the image of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of learning, made of marble is installed in the sanctum.

Worship

Madhyamaheshwar idol is worhsipped at Ukhimath during winter months

The water from the temple precincts is considered so highly sacred that even a few drops are stated to be adequate for ablution. The worship at this temple starts from a specified time period from the beginning of the summer months after the winter and lasts till October/November from start of the winter season when the temple precincts are not accessible due to snow conditions. During the winter period, the symbolic idol of the god is shifted with religious formalities to Ukhimath for continued worship. Priests at this temple, as in many other temples in the state, are from South India and at this particular temple they are called Jangamas of the Lingayat cast who hail from Mysore in Karnataka state. This induction of priests from outside the state enhances the cultural communications from one part of the country to the other, with language becoming no barrier. It is one of an important sacred pilgrimage centres of Shastrik (textual) importance categorized as Panchasthali (five places) doctrine. This doctrine has been determined on the basis of sectarian association, fairs and festivals, offerings to the deity, sacred declarations made by devotees and specific blessings sought from the god through prayers at different temples. 2 km. away is a small temple called Bura Madhyamaheswar. One has to trek 2 kilometers up the steep ways through large moors and valleys and then would reach in a small lake, where a full Panoramic range of Himalayas consisiting of the peaks, Chaukhamba, Kedarnath, Neelkanth, Trishul, Kamet, Panchulli, etc

The temple is in a picturesque green valley surrounded by snow peaks of Chaukhamba (literal meaning is four pillars or peaks), Neel Kanth and Kedarnath in high Himalayan hill ranges. The Kedar hills, called the Kedar Massif, gives a spectacular view of the mountain formation with numerous glaciers which include the source of the Mandakini River. The region has rich flora and fauna, particularly the endangered species of Himalayan Monal pheasant and Himalayan Musk Deer (locally called Kasturi deer) in the Kedarnath Wild Life Sanctuary

Access

The total trek length to cover all the five temples of Panch Kedar is about 170 km  (including road travel up to Gaurikund), involving 16 days of strenuous and rewarding effort. The trek starts from Gauri Kund, one of the picturesque spots, provides spectacular views of the Himalayan range of hills in the entire Garhwal region, comparable to the Alps.

The trekking is undertaken during two seasons; three months during summer and two months after the monsoon season, as during the rest of the period, except Rudranath, the other four Panch Kedar temples are inaccessible due to snow cover

Madhyamaheshwar Temple is on the Kedarnath road linked by a 13 km road to Kalimath from Guptakashi. Further approach from Guptakashi to the temple is only by a 24 km trek after 6 km by road journey. Guptakashi is on the state highway from Rishikesh via Devprayag, Rudraprayag and Kund. Rishikesh is the entry point to the pilgrim centres of Garhwal Himalayas and is connected by train to the rest of the country. The nearest airport is Jolly Grant at a distance of 18 km from Rishikesh, closer to Dehradun, which connects to other destinations in India. The temple is at a distance of 244 km from the airport and 227 km from Rishikesh, the rail head. From Rishikesh to Kalimath the road distance is 196 km. Alternatively, Madhmaheshwar shrine could be reached from Uniyana, via Ukhimath. From Uniyana, the route passes through Ransi (3 km) then Gaundhar (9 km), Bantoli (1 km) and further 9 km moderate climb via Khakhra Khal, and Maikhumba to reach the temple

The base of the trek is Uniana which is 18 kilometres away from Ukhimath. From there the trekking way starts. After 3 kilometres is Ransi village a small chatti, with a place to stay. Then after long 6 km. comes Gaundhar where there are 3 lodges to stay. After 1 km lies Bantoli, the point of confluence of Madhyamaheswar Ganga and Martyenda Ganga. Then comes Khatara, Nanu, and then comes Madhyamaheswar. The proper trekking distance is 19 kilometres from Uniana.

Gaundhar and Kalimath are two important places on the route to Madhyamaheshwar. Kalimath in particular, is of importance for the large number of pilgrims who visit the place for spiritual comfort and hence it is called the Sidh Peeth (Spiritual center). Kalimath is famous for the temples to goddesses Mahakali and Mahalakshmi, and gods Shiva and one of his ferocious forms - Bhairava. The navratri time is of special significance at this place when much large devotees visit the place. Gaundhar, the last settlement on the trek route and close to the temple, is at the confluence of Madhyamaheshwar Ganga and Markanga Ganga rivers and offers enchanting views.

Kalpeshwar (5th Panch Kedar)

Kalpeshwar (कल्पेश्वर) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located at an elevation of 2,200 m (7,217.8 ft) in the picturesque Urgam valley in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand state in India. The temple’s ancient legend linked to the Pandavas, heroes of epic Mahabharata eminence is the fifth temple of the Panch Kedars (five temples) of Shiva’s five anatomical divine forms; the other four temples in the order of their worship are Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath and Madhyamaheshwar temples; all in the Kedar Khand region of the Garhwal Himalayas. Kalpeshwar is the only Panch Kedar temple accessible throughout the year. At this small stone temple, approached through a cave passage, the matted tress (jata) of Lord Shiva is worshipped. Hence, Lord Shiva is also called as Jatadhar or Jateshwar. It is approachable only by 12 km trekking from the nearest road head of Helong on the Rishikesh-Badrinath road

Legend

Many folk legends related to the Garhwal region, god Shiva and the creation of the Panch Kedar temples are narrated.

The most famous folk legend about Panch Kedar relates to the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The Pandavas defeated and killed their cousins — the Kauravas in the epic Kurukshetra war. They wished to atone for the sins of committing fratricide (gotra hatya) and Brāhmanahatya (killing of Brahmins — the priest class) during the war. Thus, they handed over the reigns of their kingdom to their kin and left in search of the god Shiva and to seek his blessings. First, they went to the holy city of Varanasi (Kashi), believed to Shiva's favourite city and famous for its Shiva temple. But, Shiva wanted to avoid them as he was deeply incensed by the death and dishonesty at the Kurukshetra war and was, therefore, insensitive to Pandavas' prayers. Therefore, he assumed the form of a bull (Nandi) and hid in the Garhwal region.

Not finding Shiva in Varanasi, the Pandavas went to Garhwal Himalayas. Bhima, the second of the five Pandava brothers, then standing astride two mountains started to look for Shiva. He saw a bull grazing near Guptakashi (“hidden Kashi” — the name derived from the hiding act of Shiva). Bhima immediately recognized the bull to be Shiva. Bhima caught hold of the bull by its tail and hind legs. But the bull-formed Shiva disappeared into the ground to later reappear in parts, with the hump raising in Kedarnath, the arms appearing in Tunganath, the nabhi (navel) and stomach surfacing in Madhyamaheshwar, the face showing up at Rudranath and the hair and the head appearing in Kalpeshwar. The Pandavas pleased with this reappearance in five different forms, built temples at the five places for venerating and worshipping Shiva. The Pandavas were thus freed from their sins. It is also believed that the fore portions of Shiva appeared at Pashupatinath, Kathmandu — the capital of Nepal.

A variant of the tale credits Bhima of not only catching the bull, but also stopping it from disappearing. Consequently, the bull was torn asunder into five parts and appeared at five locations in the Kedar Khand of Garhwal region of the Himalayas. After building the Panch Kedar temples, the Pandavas mediated at Kedarnath for salvation, performed yagna (fire sacrifice) and then through the heavenly path called the Mahapanth (also called Swargarohini), attained heaven or salvation.

After completing the pilgrimage of Lord Shiva's darshan at the Panch Kedar temples, it is an unwritten religious rite to visit Lord Vishnu at the Badrinath Temple, as a final affirmatory proof by the devotee that he has sought blessings of Lord Shiva

Another legend states that this place was much preferred by sages of folklore for meditation. Particular mention is made of sage Arghya who through his austere penance created Urvashi, the famous apsara (nymph) at this place. Durvasa, an ancient sage, son of Atri and Anasuya, considered an incarnation of Shiva, known for his short temper did penance and meditated under the Kalpavriksha, the wish fulfilling divine tree in the precincts of the temple. Further, it is said that Durvasa had given Kunti, mother of Pandavas, a boon that "she could invoke any of the forces of nature and they would appear before her and grant whatever she desired". Once, when Pandavas, were in exile here, in order to test them Durvasa visited them along with his desciples and desired to be dined by them. Unfortunately, there was no food available within the house to feed the surprise guests. Draupadi, wife of Pandavas, sought Lord Krishna's help. Krishna materialised on the scene and solved the problem.

Worship

The temple priests at this temple also are the Dasnamis and Gossains, desciples of Adi Shankara. At Tungnath also the priests are Khasiya Brahmins. These priests hail from South India; the Namboodiri brahmin sect who worship at Badrinath and Kedarnath from Kerala, the Jangamas are lingayats from Mysore and the Dasnami Gossains belong to Adi Shankara’s group. The priests at the Rudranath temple are Dasnamis and Gosains.

The Kalpeshwar temple is located in the Urgam valley of the Himalayan mountain range near Urgam village (2 km) short of the temple). On the bridle path from Helang to Kalpeshwar, the enchanting confluence of the Alaknanda and Kalpganga rivers is seen. Kalp Ganga river flows through the Urgam valley. The Urgam valley is a dense forest area. The valley has apple orchards and terraced fields where potato is grown extensively.

Access

Access to Kalpeshwar by road up to Urgam is from Rishikesh, a distance of 253 km on the Rishikesh-Badrinath road. Earlier the trek route existed from Helang to Kalpeshwar via Urgam village for a distance of 10 km . But now a good jeep-able road is constructed from Helang to Urgam, so from Urgam it's just 2 km trek to reach Kalpeshwar. The nearest airport is at Jolly Grant, Dehradun at a distance of 272 km and the nearest railhead, Rishikesh, is 255 km. Boodha Kedar temple surrounded by potato fields is seen on the trek route. Also seen is the Dhyan Badri temple at Urgam Village, one of the Sapt Badri (seven Badri) temples

Rudranath (3rd Panch Kedar)

Rudranath (रुद्रनाथ) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in the Garhwal Himalayan mountains in Uttarakhand, India. Located at 2,286 metres (7,500 ft) above sea level. This natural rock temple is situated within a dense forest of rhododendron dwarfs and Alpine pastures. The temple is the third temple to be visited in the Panch Kedar pilgrimage circuit, comprising five Shiva temples in the Garhwal region. The other temples in the circuit include: Kedarnath and Tungnath to be visited before Rudranath and Madhyamaheshwar or Madmaheshwar and Kalpeshwar to be visited after Rudranath.
The face (mukha) of  Shiva is worshipped here as "Nilkanth Mahadeva"

The most famous folk legend about Panch Kedar relates to the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The Pandavas defeated and killed their cousins — the Kauravas in the epic Kurukshetra war. They wished to atone for the sins of committing fratricide (gotra hatya) and Brāhmanahatya (killing of Brahmins — the priest class) during the war. Thus, they handed over the reigns of their kingdom to their kin and left in search of the god Shiva and to seek his blessings. First, they went to the holy city of Varanasi (Kashi), believed to Shiva's favourite city and famous for its Shiva temple. But, Shiva wanted to avoid them as he was deeply incensed by the death and dishonesty at the Kurukshetra war and was, therefore, insensitive to Pandavas' prayers. Therefore, he assumed the form of a bull (Nandi) and hid in the Garhwal region.

Not finding Shiva in Varanasi, the Pandavas went to Garhwal Himalayas. Bhima, the second of the five Pandava brothers, then standing astride two mountains started to look for Shiva. He saw a bull grazing near Guptakashi (“hidden Kashi” — the name derived from the hiding act of Shiva). Bhima immediately recognized the bull to be Shiva. Bhima caught hold of the bull by its tail and hind legs. But the bull-formed Shiva disappeared into the ground to later reappear in parts, with the hump raising in Kedarnath, the arms appearing in Tunganath, the nabhi (navel) and stomach surfacing in Madhyamaheshwar, the face showing up at Rudranath and the hair and the head appearing in Kalpeshwar. The Pandavas pleased with this reappearance in five different forms, built temples at the five places for venerating and worshipping Shiva. The Pandavas were thus freed from their sins. It is also believed that the fore portions of Shiva appeared at Pashupatinath, Kathmandu — the capital of Nepal.

A variant of the tale credits Bhima of not only catching the bull, but also stopping it from disappearing. Consequently, the bull was torn asunder into five parts and appeared at five locations in the Kedar Khand of Garhwal region of the Himalayas. After building the Panch Kedar temples, the Pandavas mediated at Kedarnath for salvation, performed yagna (fire sacrifice) and then through the heavenly path called the Mahapanth (also called Swargarohini), attained heaven or salvation.

After completing the pilgrimage of Lord Shiva's darshan at the Panch Kedar temples, it is an unwritten religious rite to visit Lord Vishnu at the Badrinath Temple, as a final affirmatory proof by the devotee that he has sought blessings of Lord Shiva

In winter, a symbolic image of Shiva is brought to Gopeshwar for worship. The Doli Yatra starts from Gopeshwar via Sagar. The Doli Yatris cross Lyuti Bugyal and Panar and finally reach Pitradhar. The worship of ancestors is done here. Then, after crossing Dhalabni Maidan, the Doli or the symbolic image of Shiva, reaches Rudranath.Here first the Vandevi is worshipped. The local belief is that Vandevi protects the area. The Kheshtra is protected by Vandevi or Vandevatas. The temple celebrates an annual fair on the full moon day in the Hindu month of Shravan (July–August) that is mostly on the day of Rakshabandhan. The fair is attended mainly by locals. The priests at the Rudranath temple are Bhatts and Tiwaris of Gopeshwar village.

At Nandikund (2,439 m/8,002 ft), on the trekking route to Rudranath (if coming via Madhmaheshwar), devotees worship old historic swords protruding from the rocks, believed to be of Pandavas.

There are numerous sacred water tanks ("Kund") near the temple. These include Surya-kund, Chandra-kund, Tara-kund, Mana-Kund etc. Nanda Devi, Trishul and Nanda Ghunti are the famous mountain peaks, which provide the backdrop to the temple. The holy river Vaitarani or Baitarani or Rudraganga flows near the temple, which has a grey stone idol of Rudranath. The river is identified with the "river of salvation", where souls of the dead cross to reach the other world. Thus, devotees visit Rudranath to perform rituals of the dead, such as performing a pind offering. Some believe that offering a pind to ancestors here equals offering a hundred million at the holy city of Gaya. The mountain peaks of Trisul, Nanda Devi, Devasthan, Hathi Parbat and Nanda Ghunti are visible from Rudranath. The name "Rudranath", literally means, "Him who is Angry." The mountain cave of Rudranath was modified into the temple we see today

How to Reach

Rudranath is sometimes considered as the toughest Panch Kedar temple to reach.

The nearest airport is Jolly Grant, Dehradun (258 km). The nearest railway station is Rishikesh (241 km). Most trekking routes to Rudranath are from Gopeshwar or nearby places. A motorable road is present up to the village Sagar — 5 km) from Gopeshwar, beyond which a 20 km trek has to be undergone to reach Rudranath. The trek winds through tall grass, oak and rhododendron forests. The trek path is stated to be slippery. Other routes include: an uphill, 17 km trek from Gangolgaon — 3 km from Gopeshwar — through the forest and Panar and Naila shepherd settlements. Another trek route from Gopeshwar to Rudranath passes via Mandal (13 km) and then additional 6 km to the Anusuya Devi temple and then another 3 km to Rudranath. The Anusuya Devi temple is home to goddess Anusuya, who is believed to help devotees in distress. A 45 km trek path is available from Joshimath via Helang too (considered a strenuous trek). There's also a trekking route to Rudranath from Kalpeshwar, via Dumak,Kalgont Kimana and Palla. The route meets at Urgam village, a little ahead of which is Kalpeshwar.

Tungnath (2nd Panch Kedar)

Tungnath is the highest Shiva temple in the world and is one of the sacred Panch Kedar, dedicated to lord Shiva is considered to be more than 1000 years old. It is the highest temple of Lord Shiva in the world perched at an astounding elevation of 3,680mts above sea level located on the Chandranath parbat, 30 Kms. from Ukhimath - Gopeshwar Road in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, Tungnath. One has to trek from Chopta to reach Tungnath Temple and then to Chandrashila peak. This sacred temple was discovered by Adi Shankaracharya and now the priest of this temple is a local Brahmins of Maku village.

Tung is a Sanskrit name meaning arms and nath is for Shiva. Since this place is worshipped in the form of arms of Lord Shiva hence Tungnath

Legend and Mythology of Panch Kedar

The Mythological background of Tungnath Temple is associated with the epic Mahabharata.

The Pandavas defeated and killed their cousins — the Kauravas in the epic Kurukshetra war. They wished to atone for the sins of committing fratricide (gotra hatya) and Brāhmanahatya (killing of Brahmins — the priest class) during the war. On the advise by Maharshi Ved Vyas to do penance for Lord Shiva for absolving of their sins, they handed over the reigns of their kingdom to their kin and left in search of the Lord Shiva and to seek his blessings. First, they went to the holy city of Varanasi (Kashi), believed to Shiva's favourite city and famous for its Shiva temple. But, Shiva wanted to avoid them as he was deeply incensed by the death and dishonesty at the Kurukshetra war and was, therefore, insensitive to Pandavas' prayers. Therefore, he assumed the form of a bull (Nandi) and hid in the Garhwal region.

Not finding Shiva in Varanasi, the Pandavas went to Garhwal Himalayas. Bhima, the second of the five Pandava brothers, then standing astride two mountains started to look for Shiva. He saw a bull grazing near Guptakashi (“hidden Kashi” — the name derived from the hiding act of Shiva). Bhima immediately recognized the bull to be Shiva. Bhima caught hold of the bull by its tail and hind legs. But the bull-formed Shiva disappeared into the ground to later reappear in parts, with the hump raising in Kedarnath, the arms appearing in Tunganath, the nabhi (navel) and stomach surfacing in Madhyamaheshwar, the face showing up at Rudranath and the hair and the head appearing in Kalpeshwar. The Pandavas pleased with this reappearance in five different forms, built temples at the five places for venerating and worshipping Shiva. The Pandavas were thus freed from their sins. The natural rock formation that is worshipped at Kedarnath resembles the rump of bull. The term Kedar itself means a natural rock formation or a glacial moraine.

A variant of the tale credits Bhima of not only catching the bull, but also stopping it from disappearing. Consequently, the bull was torn asunder into five parts and appeared at five locations in the Kedar Khand of Garhwal region of the Himalayas. After building the Panch Kedar temples, the Pandavas mediated at Kedarnath for salvation, performed yagna (fire sacrifice) and then through the heavenly path called the Mahapanth (also called Swargarohini), attained heaven or salvation.

After completing the pilgrimage of Lord Shiva's darshan at the Panch Kedar temples, it is an unwritten religious rite to visit Lord Vishnu at the Badrinath Temple, as a final affirmatory proof by the devotee that he has sought blessings of Lord Shiva

The other four places where Shiva is worshipped take their appearance from different part of his body - the arm (bahu) at Tungnath, the face at Rudranath, the navel at Madmaheshwar and the matted hair at Kalpeshwar. The five Kedar lies in the valleys between the rivers Bhagirathi and Alaknanda.

Temple

It is an ancient temple built in the North Indian style of temple architecture. Small in size it can barely accommodate ten people in the sanctum. The sanctum part of the temple abuts the hills where the sacred standing black rock (swayambu or self manifest linga) with tilt to the left, of 1 ft (0.3 m) height, denoting the form of arms of Lord Shiva is worshipped. The construction of this temple is credited to Arjuna, the third of the Pandava brothers, who also worshiped here.

In the main sanctum, ashtadhatu (made of eight metals) idols of sage Vyas and Kala Bhairav, disciples of Shiva, are also installed in the sanctum sanctorum. The temple also houses the images of the Pandavas and silver plaques of other four Kedar shrines.

The architectural design of the temple is similar to the temples at Guptakashi, Madhyamaheshwar and Kedarnath. The temples inside the enclosure are made of stones with decorations painted on the outside and they depict tall towers. The highest dome has a wooden stage at the top. The dome has sixteen openings (pictured). The temple roofs are also made of stone slabs. At the entrance to the temple there is a Nandi stone image facing towards the sanctum where Shiva’s idol is deified. At the right of the temple entrance there is the mandatory image of Ganesha.

Among the smaller shrines, the central temple is of goddess Parvati, Shiva’s consort. Away to the far right there is a group of five small shrines dedicated to the Panch Kedar, which include Tungnath also as one of the Panch Kedar, in addition to the main Tunganath temple.

Near the Akash Ganga water fall, close to Tungnath, a temple to Nanda Devi is located to denote that it is descending from heaven. A 2.5 ft (0.8 m) statue of Adi Guru Shankaracharya is installed next to the main deity of Shiva

Worship

The priest at this temple is a local Brahmin from Maku village, unlike the other Kedar temples where the priests are from South India, a tradition set by the eighth century Hindu seer Sankaracharya. It is also said that the Khasi Brahmins officiate as priests at this temple. During the winter season, the temple is closed and the symbolic image of the deity and the temple priests are moved to Mukunath, which is 19 km (12 mi) from here. It is near Duggalbitha (10 km (6 mi) before Chopta towards Ukhimath.

The Tungnath temple opens from 6 am to 7 pm. And aarti is performed daily at 6:30 pm

How to Reach

This highest temple of Lord Shiva is ironically easiest one to achieve. Tungnath Temple can be reached by an easy but steep trek of 4km commencing from Chopta (2700mts). The region receives heavy snowfall during winters making Tungnath temple tough to access. The symbolic image of Lord Shiva is moved to Mukunath during winters, situated 19kms away. The trek goes through rocky terrains, green meadows and rhododendron bushes showering us with visual vistas of nature. The invigorating views of the imposing Himalayas boosts with confidence in the heart of the trekkers. Several named and unnamed peaks of the Himalayan range are distinctly visible from Tungnath.

Another 1.5 km steep trek takes to Chandrashila summit which offers a majestic view of snow clad Himalayan peaks including Trishul, Nanda Devi, Chaukhamba

The peak of Tungnath is the source of three springs that form the river Akashkamini. At this temple at 3,680 mts, Shiva's arm is worshipped.

Tungnath is at the top of the ridge dividing the waters of the Mandakini River (rising from Kedarnath) from those of the Alaknanda River (rising above Badrinath). The Tungnath peak on this ridge is the source of three springs, which form the Akashkamini River. The temple lies about 2 km (1.2 mi) below the Chandrashila Peak (4,000 m (13,123 ft)). The road to Chopta is just below this ridge and hence provides the shortest bridle approach path for trekking to the temple from Chopta, over a short distance of about 4 km (2.5 mi). From the top of the Chandrashila peak, picturseque views of the Himalayan range comprising snow peaks of Nanda Devi, Panch Chuli, Banderpoonch, Kedarnath, Chaukhamba and Neelkanth on one side, and the Garhwal valley on the opposite side could be witnessed. The valley between Chopta and Tunganath temple has wooded hills with rich alpine meadows with rhododendron coppices and also agricultural fields. The rododendrons, when they are in full bloom during March, display dazzling colours ranging from crimson to pink. A high-altitude botanical station of the Garhwal University is located here. Nearing the top of the temple, there is a forest resthouse at Dugalibitta, just opposite to the Kedarnath range of hills. The Kedaranth Wild Life Sanctuary, also called the Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary, set up in 1972 to preserve the endangered musk deer, which lies in the region, also has a musk deer breeding centre at Kharchula Kharak near Chopta

When to go to Panch Kedar

Due to snowfall and harsh winter, Panch Kedar temples are closed during winter except Kalpeshwar. The temples are open from April to November. However, trained trekkers can go during winters but they have to be well equipped with food and trekking gears.