Panch Kedar is said to have five famous temples related to Lord Shiva. In these temples, various organs of Lord Shiva are worshiped. Uttarakhand's Garhwal natural beauty hidden in her womb Himalayan symbol of that eternal message of middle ancient Hindu culture of the mountain ranges and unswerving faith Kedarnath and four benches are known as 'Panch Kedar'. Pilgrims prove their desire by visiting these holy places for centuries.
The following Panch Kedar's are considered among the Hindus -
1. Kedarnath Temple
Kedarnath is one of the most sacred pilgrimages of Lord Shiva situated in the Rudraprayag district of the Garhwal region in Uttarakhand. Kedarnath is one of the Char Dham in Uttarakhand and the most important dham among Panch Kedar. Kedarnath is situated at an altitude of 3586 mts, in the lap of the majestic mountain peaks, and near the head of river Mandakini, Kedarnath range stands one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.
Kedar meaning powerful is another name of Lord Shiva the protector and the destroyer. The beautiful ambiance around the temple looks like quiet peace in heaven causes a beautiful place to do meditation. The main attraction here is the Shiva Temple, which is a popular Hindu shrine and pilgrimage, attracting devotees from all over the world. The travel and tourism scope here is strengthened by factors like natural beauty and religious zest.
2. Tungnath Temple
The Tungnath temple is located at an altitude of about 3680 m above sea level, the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is the highest Shiva shrine among the Panch Kedar, 3 km uphill from Chopta. The sanctity of the region of Tungnath is considered unsurpassed.
Tungnath is the highest Shiva temple in the world and is one of the five and the highest Panch Kedar temples located in the mountain range of Tungnath in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. This rocky terrain boasts of the obeisance of Shiva, the destroyer lord. The peak of Tungnath is the source of three springs that form the river Akashkamini. Tungnath is reached through a path that wends through alpine meadows & rhododendron thickets. 1 km steep trek from Tungnath Temple leads to Chandrashila with its panoramic views.
3. Madhmaheshwar Temple
Madhya Maheshwar temple is located in the Mansuna village of Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand, India. 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.
There is also an old temple known as Vriddh-Madmaheshwar, located on the ridge which looks straight up at the commanding Chaukhamba peaks.
4. Rudranath Temple
Rudranath is located at 2286 mts in Rudraprayag District of Uttarakhand. Rudranath is the toughest Panch Kedar temple to reach. It is the third temple to be visited in the Panch Kedar pilgrimage circuit, comprising five Shiva temples in the Garhwal region. It is the toughest trek to reach as compared to other Panch Kedar dham of Lord Shiva.
There are numerous sacred water tanks 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 Vaitharini stream or Baitarani or Rudraganga flows near the temple, which has a grey stone idol of Rudranath. The Mandir Committee has a guesthouse where devotees can spend the night.
5. Kalpeshwar Temple
Kalpeshwar temple is located at an height of 2200 mts, dedicated to Lord Shiva in the picturesque Urgam valley in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand state in India. It is a part of the famous Panch Kedars.
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.
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