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Uttaranchal Kalpeshwar Temple
This temple is one of the many Hindu temples that is solely based for the Lord Shiva. The shrine is situated at a very scenic location of Urgam valley which is in the Garwal region in the Uttarakhand state. The temple is at an elevation of nearly 2.2 km above the sea level. The temple is considered to be a part of 5 sacred temples which consist of various parts of the lord Shiva. The other 4 temples are situated in places like Rudranath, Tunganath, Madhyamahesh and Kedharnath; all are in the Himalayan region.
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 seeking lord Shiva's forgiveness for all the sins they have committed during the historic battle of the Kurukshetra. When Shiva realizes this, he attempted 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 Pandavas caught hold of the bull's tail and back legs, so that Shiva don't get disappear. But Shiva disappeared underground and reappeared in smaller parts in 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 tresses appeared in Kalpeshwar.
How To Reach
Via road
The easiest access to the temple is via the roadways. The Urgam valley could be reached from Rishikesh via the Badrinath-Rishikesh road. The total distance covers about 250 kms. Previously, a difficult trek route of 10 km was available from the place of Helang to Kalpeshwar which passes through the Urgam village. Presently, a decent road way which allows a jeep to pass through it has been built. It reduces the trekking distance to mearly 2 km.
Via rail
The nearest railway station that is available is at Rishikesh. The place is about 250 km away from Kalpeshwar 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 temple with ease.
Via Air
Airport access is quite far from the temple. The closest airport is at Dehradun, which is approximately 280 kms away from the shrine. Cab facilities are available in plenty from the airport.
Important Shrines
The disciples for the famous Adi Shankaracharya, namely the Gossains and the Dasnamis are the official priest in temple of Kalpeshwar. All the priests are of the south Indian origin. The other four temples also have priest who have their origins from the southern part of India.
Significance Of Temple
One of the main significance of the temple is that, it is the only temple out of five, which is accessible throughout the year. It is a very small stone temple. This temple could be reached only via a cave passage. The ponytail of the great god Shiva is worshiped here. This is the reason why lord Shiva is also hailed as Jateshwara.
Weather And Time To Visit
The best months to visit the temple are May to October. The summers at Kalpeshwar are usually pleasant with temperature reaching around 16 degrees Celsius. It's a very good time for viewing nearby attractions as well. 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 option of Home stay is available at nearby places. Many Dharmashalas are also present in the area, which allow 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. Thus it is advised for the devotees to maintain a good physical health before visiting 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
Since this temple is a part of the 5 temples, it is a very good practice to visit the other 4 temples and finally to land up at Kalpeshwar. Rules common to Hindu temples such as, objection to slippers inside the shrine are also followed in the temple.
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