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Uttaranchal Rudranath Temple
This is a sacred temple that is mainly dedicated to the lord Shiva. It is located in the region of Garhwal, which is in the Himalayan Mountains in the state of Uttarakhand. The temple is nearly about 2,300 meters above the level of sea. The temple is made up natural rocks. It is found in the dense forest region and amongst the pastures of Alpine. The tourist must visit the temple after visiting the temples at Kedharnath and Tunganath. It is 3rd in the line of order to visit. The trip is then continued on to Madhyamaheshwar and finally to Kalpeshwar. It is said that the face of the lord Shiva is found here. It is worshiped as Nilakanta Mahadev.
History
The legend of creation of the temple has its roots based on the epic story of the Mahabharata. It is believed that the Pandavas were in seek of the lord Shiva, in order to seek his pardon for all the sins they have committed during the historic battle of the Kurukshetra. Shiva then realizes this attempt and seeks to distance himself away from the Pandavas and takes a shape of a bull. Eventually one of the Pandavas, Bhima found the real face behind the bull form. The other Pandavas caught hold of the bull’s tail and back legs, which made Shiva to disappear underground and reappear in smaller parts at five different areas. It is believed from the legend that the arm was found in Tunganath, the hump was found in Kedharnath, the head of the bull was seen at Rudranath, the navel and the stomach area was found in Madhyamaheswar and finally his tress appeared in Kalpeshwar.
How To Reach
By Air
Airport access is quite far from the temple. The closest airport is at Dehradun, which is approximately 258 kms away from the shrine. The taxi and cab facilities are accessible in plenty from the Dehradun airport.
By Rail
The nearest railway station that is available is the one present at Rishikesh. The place is about 241 km away from Rudranath temple. Local transport availability to reach the place is little less. It is advised to hire a cab and reach the nearest point of the area with ease.
There is another railway junction at Haridwar, which is about 24 km away from Rishikesh. It has train connections which come from all across India, thus making it a main junction.
By Road
The road up to the village Sagar is in good condition to sustain any road traffic. After reaching the village, a mandated twenty km trek has to be taken in order to reach the holy place of Rudranath. The trek takes the people through the thick forest in the mountains.
Other trek routes include a 17 km trek from the village of Gangolgaon. Another famous route is one, which takes an extra 6 km trek and leads them to the Anusuya Devi temple and followed by a 20 km trek to reach Rudranath.
Important Shrines
The famous Yatra of Doli, which is the symbolic image of the lord Shiva, begins at Gopeshwar. The Doli first crosses Pitradhar, where the worship of the ancestors is done. Then it goes via Dhalabini to finally reach Rudranath. Vanadevi is a local goddess that is worshipped in the area. It is believed that the forest is protected by the god. The Rudranath temple has priest who are of the caste Tiwaris and Bhatts residing from the village of Gopeshwar.
Significance Of Temple
The temple visit is the toughest amongst the 5 temples to be visited. It is the 3rd temple should be visited. It is said that the face of the lord Shiva is found here. It is worshiped as Nilakanta Mahadev. The famous Anusuya Devi temple is considered to be a holy shrine which gives a peace of mind for those who are stressed with life.
Weather And Time To Visit
The best months to visit the temple are from April to November, when the temperature is very enjoyable and excellent for sightseeing. The summers at Rudranath are usually pleasant with temperature reaching around 17 degrees Celsius. The evenings are accompanied with a cool breeze which lifts the visitor’s mood. The monsoon months from September to November are a very good time for viewing the beautiful hill regions. The winters could be really cold, with temperatures reaching to sub zero levels at times.
Accomodation
The nearest accommodation would be available at Madhyamaheshwar. The option of Home stay is available at nearby places. Many Dharmashala are also present in the area, which would give a free stay for the pilgrims visiting the temple. Tents can be put up on the way, while trekking to the temple.
Tips For Devotees
There is a mandated trek to reach the temple. The trek is considered to very slippery and is required to carry necessary equipments. It is advised for the devotees to maintain a good physical condition before the visit to the temple. Breathing exercises will come in handy, as the oxygen levels in the high altitudes is very less.
Rules And Rituals Of The Temple
Rules common to Hindu temples such as, objection to slippers inside the shrine are also followed in the temple. On every full moon day in the month of Shravana (according to Hindu calendar), the temple celebrates with a fair. This falls mostly on Rakshabandhan day.
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