… Post Admin / February 15, 2023 / Photo Credit: Unsplash and iStock

Panch Kedar

Panch Kedar refers to five Hindu temples or sacred locations of the sect known as the Shivaites. They are situated in Uttarakhand, India’s Garhwal Himalayan area. Numerous traditions surround them, many of which explicitly connect the Pandavas, the protagonists of the Hindu epic Mahabharata, with their conception.

According to the legend, the Pandavas proceeded to seek Lord Shiva’s blessings to atone for their misdeeds during the battle of Kurukshetra. But Lord Shiva, who didn’t want to see them, finally eluded. Shiva hid himself as a bull when the Pandavas understood where he was. The Pandavas weren’t willing to accept it. One of the Pandavas, Bhima, made an effort to lift up the bull (Lord Shiva), but was unsuccessful, and the bull broke into pieces.

The pieces fell to the ground, but Bhima was able to save the bull’s hump. Impressed by the determination of Pandavas, Lord Shiva eventually blessed the Pandavas and absolved them of their misdeeds. Then, in Kedarnath, the Lord commanded them to worship his hump. The idol in the shrine is this conical protrusion.

The other body parts of the bull (Lord Shiva) were the Arms (Bahu) at Tungnath, the Face (mukh) at Rudranath, the Navel (nabhi) at Madmaheshwar, and the Hair (jata) at Kalpeshwar. As well as Kedarnath, these four shrines are revered as Panch Kedar.

Panch Kedar In Uttarakhand

Photo Credit: Unsplash and iStock

Panch Kedar - Kedarnath

Panch Kedar – Kedarnath / Photo Credit: Piyush Bhardwaj on iStock



The term “Panch Kedar” refers to five Hindu temples or sacred locations of the sect known as the Shivaites. They are situated in Uttarakhand, India’s Garhwal Himalayan area. Numerous traditions surround them, many of which explicitly connect the Pandavas, the protagonists of the Hindu epic Mahabharata, with their conception.

Panch Kedar - Tunganath

Panch Kedar – Tunganath / Photo Credit: Mrinal Pal on iStock



Tunganath, the second of the Panch Kedar temples, is situated on top of a hill. The highest shrine lies 3 kilometers uphill from Chopta, on the inner Himalayan range. Tunganath can be reached by following a path that passes through alpine meadows and rhododendron patches. It lies just below the Chandrashila peak. Devotees come to this temple, located at 3,886 meters, to worship Shiva’s arm.

panch kedar rudranath 1200x800 1 scaled

Panch Kedar /



Located in a dense forest, Rudranath, the 3rd Pancha Kedar, stands at a height of 2286 m. The shrine is situated 23 kms away from Gopeshwer. This natural rock temple is home to the Mukh of Lord Shiva, referred to as Neelkantha Mahadeva, and is worshipped here.

This place is known for worshiping Lord Shiva as Neelkantha. This is the one and only temple in India where Shiva is venerated as a symbol of his face, a sublime, gentle appearance of Shiva, unique, tranquil, and truly wondrous.

Panch Kedar - Madmaheshwar

Panch Kedar – Madmaheshwar / Photo Credit: Funks on iStock



Madmaheshwar is the fourth temple of the holy Pancha Kedar. It is situated near the bottom of the Chaukhamba peak at an altitude of 3289 meters above the sea level, 30 kms northeast of Guptakashi.

Shiva is worshipped at Madmaheshwar in the form of navel – shaped lingum. This temple architecture follows the North-Indian style. From this location, Kedarnath and Neelkanth peaks are visible. It is said that these peaks make up the full circle of mountains related to Shiva’s life.

Panch Kedar - Kalpeshwar

Panch Kedar – Kalpeshwar / Photo Credit: Flickr



Kalpeshwar, the fifth Pancha Kedar, is a small rock temple and a preferred site for sages to meditate. You can find this shrine in Urgam Valley at an altitude of 2134 meters. Here the locks (hair) and head of Lord Shiva are worshipped as Jatadhar.

Origin

Geographic Details

District N/A
Area N/A
Elevation N/A
Latitude N/A
Longitude N/A

Other Details

Language Hindi, Garhwali and Kumaoni.
Place Famous For Pilgrimages and Tourist Places.
Best Time to Visit Summers and Autumn.
Clothing When visiting in the winter, wool and jackets are advised.

How To Reach

By Road:
The best way to reach Panch Kedar is by road. The nearest major town is Rudraprayag, which is well-connected to other parts of Uttarakhand and the neighboring states by a network of roads. From Rudraprayag, you can hire a taxi or take a bus to reach the respective base camps of the five temples.

By Train:
The nearest railway station to Panch Kedar is Rishikesh, which is about 200 km away from Rudraprayag. From Rishikesh, you can hire a taxi or take a bus to reach Rudraprayag and then further to the base camps of the respective temples.

By Air:
The nearest airport to Panch Kedar is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, which is about 250 km away from Rudraprayag. From the airport, you can hire a taxi or take a bus to reach Rudraprayag and then further to the base camps of the respective temples.

Thank You

The pictures displayed on this website are usually royalty free stock photos taken from Unsplash, iStock, Pixabay, Pngtree, and other sources. We appreciate the work of the individuals who own them. This is to thank them for their work and let them know how much it is appreciated.

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