Rudranath Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, situated at 3,600 meters above in the Garhwal Himalayan mountains in Uttarakhand, India. The temple is the third temple to be visited in the Panch Kedar journey circuit, containing five Shiva temples in the Garhwal district.

The celestial temple is snuggled inside the rhododendron forests and the alpine meadows. In comparison to the other Panch Kedar temples, Rudranath temple is the most difficult to reach. Nanda Devi, Trishul, and Nanda Ghunti are Himalayan peaks that add to Rudranath’s glory.

Story Behind Rudranath Temple

The Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahabharata, are the subject of folklore. In the epic Kurukshetra War, the Pandavas defeated and killed their cousins, the Kauravas. They wished to feel guilty for the acts of bloodshed (gotra hatya) and brahmana hatya (the slaughter of Brahmins, the priest class) during the conflict. As a result, they gave their kin control of their kingdom and left in search of Shiva and his blessings.

They first went to Varanasi (Kashi), which is considered to be Shiva’s favourite city and is famous for its Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Shiva, however, ignored the Pandavas’ prayers because he was deeply enraged by the deaths and dishonesty at the Kurukshetra war. He transformed himself into a bull (Nandi) and disappeared in the Garhwal region.

The Pandavas went to the Garhwal Himalayas after failing to find Shiva in Varanasi. Bhima, the second of the five Pandava brothers, began his search for Shiva while standing atop the mountains. He noticed a bull grazing near Guptakashi, also known as “hidden Kashi,” after Shiva’s act of concealment. Bhima grabbed the bull’s back legs and tail as soon as he saw the god.

The bull-shaped Shiva, on the other hand, vanished into the ground only to reappear in fragments, with the hump rising at Kedarnath, the arms rising at Tungnath, the face appearing at Rudranath, the nabhi (navel) and stomach appearing at Madhyamaheshwar, and the hair appearing at Kalpeshwar.

Reference – Wikipedia

History of Rudranath Temple

Rudranath is one of the Panch Kedars to which the same legend roughly relates. The Pandavas came here to find Lord Shiva and ask for forgiveness from him for killing their Kauravas brothers in a war. Lord Shiva transformed into a bull and hid underground because he did not want to appear before them. He threw various parts of his body in different directions as the Pandavas pursued him. The mound lies in Kedarnath. The mid-piece shows up in Madhyamaheshwar. At Kalpeshwar, the head and hair appeared.

Rudranath is dedicated to the worship of Nilkanth Mahadev’s face. The Linga here is supposed to be Swayam Bhuva or one who showed up without anyone else as a Shivalinga with a face, estimated around 3 feet.

Architecture of Rudranath Temple

There are numerous “Kunda” (sacred water tanks) near the temple. Surya-kunda, Chandra-kunda, Tara-kunda, Mana-kunda, and so on are examples. The famous mountain peaks of Nanda Devi, Trishul, and Nanda Ghunti surround the temple. The holy river Vaitarani, Baitarani, or Rudraganga flows near the temple, which houses a grey stone Rudranath idol.

The river is known as the “river of salvation,” because it is where deceased souls cross to enter the afterlife. Fans visit Rudranath in this manner to perform customs of the dead, such as performing a pind offering. Some believe that offering a pind to ancestors here is exactly like offering a hundred million at Gaya’s sacred city.

Facts about Rudranath Temple

• The Rudranath temple is accepted to be set up by the Pandavas, the saints of the Hindu epic Mahabharata.
• Rudranath is sometimes considered the toughest Panch Kedar temple to reach
• In the winter, a symbolic image of Shiva is brought to Gopeshwar for worship.
• Vandevi or Vandevatas guard the area.
• Through Sagar, the Doli Yatra begins at Gopeshwar. The Doli Yatris cross Lyuti Bugyal and Panar lastly arrive at Pitradhar.
• As part of their holy pilgrimage, Hindus embark on the Panch Kedar Yatra and visit this temple. The journey here is a wonderful combination of thrilling adventure activity and profound spirituality. You can also pay a visit to the nearby Sagar temple.
• This pilgrimage site in Uttarakhand is also the base for some high-altitude treks.
• Swords may be embedded in the rocky cliffs along the road. The Pandavas are said to have owned these swords.
• In the month of January-February, the entire area is covered with snow.

Famous Festivals In Rudranath Temple

Mahashivratri: Lord Shiva is the subject of this festival. Many devotees hold the belief that he is the Adi guru, the Yogi tradition’s founder. It is seen by recalling Shiva and reciting petitions, fasting, doing Yoga as well as thinking.

Yearly the temple is host to the fair which happens during the full moon day during the Hindu month of Shravan which endures from July to August. The majority of people who attend the fair are locals. Devotees stop to worship the ancient swords protruding from the rocks on the trekking route to Rudranath, Nandikund. It is believed that these swords belonged to the Pandavas brothers.

Best Time To Visit Rudranath Temple

In summer from May to June.

During the monsoons, the hilly terrains turn perilous and there are frequent landslides. It is best to avoid the monsoons but if you anyhow reach there you can visit.

How to Reach Rudranath Temple

You can easily reach Rudranath by air, train and by road.

By Air: Gopeshwar is 24 kilometres away from Rudranath Temple, and Jolly Grant Airport is 230 kilometres away. Jolly Grant Airport is the closest air terminal to Gopeshwar very much associated with an engine-capable street where you can take effectively taxi from outside the Air terminal.

By Rail: Rishikesh is the closest railroad station to Gopeshwar. The distance between Rishikesh and Gopeshwar is 230 km. Outside the railway station, buses and taxis are easily available.

By Road: You can take private buses and Taxis from Delhi to Rishikesh or Haridwar. Gopeshwar is located on NH 07.