Panch Kedar
Panch Kedar also referred to as a Panch Kedara in Sanskrit is a group of five Mahadev (Shiva) Temples in the Garhwal Himalayas region of Uttarakhand, India. As per the holy scriptures, it is believed that all these temples were built by the Pandavas the heroes of the Indian epic Mahabharata.
The pilgrimage follows a fixed hierarchical order involving five sacred temples. These include Kedarnath Temple situated at an elevation of 3,583 m; Tungnath Temple the highest of the group and well known as the highest Shiva temple, at 3,680 m; Rudranath Temple at 3,559 m; Madhyamaheshwar Temple standing at 3,490 m; and Kalpeshwar Temple the lowest in altitude at 2,200 m.
Among these, Kedarnath holds primary importance and forms a key part of the Chota Char Dham pilgrimage circuit of the Garhwal Himalayas. The remaining three shrines in this circuit are Badrinath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri. In addition, Kedarnath is revered as one of the twelve Jyotirlingas dedicated to Lord Shiva.
UnderstandPanch Kedar has an interesting legend. When the Pandavs went to the Himalayas, Shiv avoided them because they had killed so many people in the war. To avoid them He ran in the form of a Bull, and Bhim chased him.
GoFrom Delhi drive to Kalimath. Offer prayers to invoke the blessings of Shakti at Kalimath before proceeding.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Panch Kedar" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0