Panch Kedar is a group of five famous temples related to Lord Shiva. Different "lingas" of Lord Shiva are worshiped in these temples.
Kedarnath and the other four peeths, known as 'Panch Kedar,' and they are located in Garhwal, Uttarakhand, amidst the mountain ranges of the Himalayas in their womb, which give an eternal message of Hindu culture and symbol of unshakable faith. Pilgrims prove their desire by visiting these holy places for centuries.
Five Kedars
The following five Kedars are considered among the Hindus –
Kedarnath Dham | Kedarnath Temple
Giriraj is located on the peak of the Himalayas called 'Kedar,' the highest shrine of the twelve Jyotirlingas of the country.
According to beliefs it is believed that the Pandavas built the ancient temple of Kedareshwar Jyotirlinga at the height of 11746 feet above sea level.
According to the Puranas, Kedar is the last part of Mahesh, i.e., buffalo. The height of the temple is 80 feet, which stands on a vast platform. Brown color in the construction of this temple stones has been used.
The biggest surprise is that this magnificent temple must have been made in ancient times by bringing those huge stones to such an inaccessible site due to lack of mechanical means.
This grandtemple is living proof of the devotion of the Pandavas to Shiva, their firm will, and their muscle power. The temple has excellent artistry.
Above the temple, a wooden umbrella is built on the pillars, on which the copper is overlaid. The pinnacle (Kalash) of the temple is also of copper, but it has been polished with gold.
In the sanctum sanctorum of the temple is the Swayambhu Jyotirlinga of Kedarnath, which is of unblemished stone .
Tungnath | Tungnath Temple
Tungnath Temple, famous as the third Kedar, is situated at an altitude of 3680 meters above sea level.
Here, Lord Shiva is worshiped as the arm. This temple built of black stones under the Chandrashila peak is the most unique among the delightful sites in the Himalayas.
The temple itself contains many stories in itself. Based on the legend, it is believed that when the massacre of Pandavas took place in the Kurukshetra grounds, then Lord Shiva was displeased with the Pandavas.
To commemorate and please Lord Shiva, the Pandavas built this temple. This temple is considered to be more than 1000 years old. One of the 'Panchkeedar' forms of Lord Shiva is worshiped here. Thousands of pilgrims and tourists come here every year to see this grand temple built with granite stones.
Rudranath | Rudrnath Temple
The temple is situated in a cave at an elevation of 2286 meters above sea level. Here the facade of Lord Shiva is worshiped.
A path to Rudranath passes through Damuk village in the Urgam valley. But due to being too inaccessible, it takes two days for the devotees to reach here, so they prefer to go here only through Sagar village near Gopeshwar.
Madmaheshwar | Madmaeshwar Temple
Lord Shiva is worshiped as Nabhi Lingam in the Madmaheshwara Temple at the height of 3289 meters in the foothills of the Chaukhambha peak.
According to the legend, Shiva- Parvati celebrated Madhuchandra night here due to the natural beauty. According to belief, the water here is so pure that only a few drops of it are considered sufficient for salvation.
Kalpeshwar | Kalpeshwar Temple
Lord Shiva's Jata is worshiped here. It is said that Durvasa Rishi had done severe penance under the Kalpa tree at this place. Since then, this place became famous as 'Kalpeshwar' or 'Kalpath.'
Apart from this, according to other stories, the Gods, suffering from the atrocities of the Asuras, performed Narayanastuti in the Kalpasthal and received the boon of Abhaya after seeing Lord Shiva.
The devotees can reach the Kalpeshwar temple at an altitude of 2134 meters, 10 km. After walking the distance, reach the rock that resembles the data of Lord Shiva in his sanctum sanctorum. The path to the sanctum sanctorum is through a natural cave.
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