Guptkashi Uttarakhand,

Location: Rudraprayag District, 49 Km from Kedarnath

Guptkashi has a great importance quite like that of Kashi. The ancient Vishwanath temple, Ardhnareshwar temple and Manikarnik Kund, where the two streams of Ganga and Yamuna are believed to meet, are the main places of attraction in Guptkashi.

It is believed that after the battle of Mahabharata, the Pandavas wanted to meet Lord Shiva and seek his blessing. But Lord Shiva evaded from Guptkasi to Kedarnath as he did not want to meet the Pandavas, the reason being that although they had fought for the right cause, they were also responsible for destroying their own dynasty.

Guptkashi is situated at an elevation of 1319 mts. The one Stupa is situated in Nala which is quite close to Ukhimath. Some local people call it the grave of Rana Nal.

3 kms. from Guptkashi, the remains of Ramgarh(in Ronitpur) still seem to echo the love between Lord Krishna’s son Anniruddha and Vanasur’s daughter Usha.

Gupt Kashi (4850) is in important market town on the road to Kedarnath, and an important stop on the traditional pilgrim route. It is set high on a ridge on the west side of the Mandakini river valley (and getting there involves a major ascent with numerous hairpin turns). The name Gupt Kashi means "Hidden Benares," and the town's sacred identity plays on its identity with the more famous pilgrimage site. The site's charter myth describes how when the Pandava brothers were searching for a glimpse of Shiva, Shiva first concealed himself in Gupt Kashi, but later fled from them further up the valley to Kedarnath, where the Pandavas finally got their wish. There are more tangible connections as well--the Kedarnath pandas (hereditary pilgrimage priests) live in Gupt Kashi during the winter months, and after the Kedarnath temple closes for the winter, the image of Kedarnath passes through Gupt Kashi on its way to Ukhimath (across the valley), where it stays for the winter.

Gupt Kashi's main temple is to Shiva as Vishvanath, "Lord of the Universe" (the most important Shiva temple in Benares). It is built in an enclosed courtyard, and the architectural style here is typical of this region--stone construction with a high tower over the main sanctuary, and a wooden frame on top of the tower). The smaller temple to the left (photo below) is to Shiva Ardhanarishvara, and the two streams of water flowing into the temple tank in the foreground (click here or on the spouts for a closeup) are said to be the Yamuna (left) and the Ganga (right).

Excursions from Guptkashi to Nearby Places
Vishwanath temple
Ardhnareshwar temple
Manikarnik Kund

Ukhimath: The winter seat of Lord Kedarnath, it is 12 Km from Guptkashi

Triyuginarayan: It is believed that the wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati took place here.

Tungnath: This is the highest shrine of Shiva amongst the Panch Kedars.

How To Reach Guptkashi
By road, it is well connected with the major destinations of the region like Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Rudraprayag and so on. Nearest railhead is at Rishikesh (186 Km) and nearest airport is Jolly Grant of Dehradun.

Guptkashi Uttarakhand,

Location: Rudraprayag District, 49 Km from Kedarnath

Guptkashi has a great importance quite like that of Kashi. The ancient Vishwanath temple, Ardhnareshwar temple and Manikarnik Kund, where the two streams of Ganga and Yamuna are believed to meet, are the main places of attraction in Guptkashi.

It is believed that after the battle of Mahabharata, the Pandavas wanted to meet Lord Shiva and seek his blessing. But Lord Shiva evaded from Guptkasi to Kedarnath as he did not want to meet the Pandavas, the reason being that although they had fought for the right cause, they were also responsible for destroying their own dynasty.

Guptkashi is situated at an elevation of 1319 mts. The one Stupa is situated in Nala which is quite close to Ukhimath. Some local people call it the grave of Rana Nal.

3 kms. from Guptkashi, the remains of Ramgarh(in Ronitpur) still seem to echo the love between Lord Krishna’s son Anniruddha and Vanasur’s daughter Usha.

Gupt Kashi (4850) is in important market town on the road to Kedarnath, and an important stop on the traditional pilgrim route. It is set high on a ridge on the west side of the Mandakini river valley (and getting there involves a major ascent with numerous hairpin turns). The name Gupt Kashi means "Hidden Benares," and the town's sacred identity plays on its identity with the more famous pilgrimage site. The site's charter myth describes how when the Pandava brothers were searching for a glimpse of Shiva, Shiva first concealed himself in Gupt Kashi, but later fled from them further up the valley to Kedarnath, where the Pandavas finally got their wish. There are more tangible connections as well--the Kedarnath pandas (hereditary pilgrimage priests) live in Gupt Kashi during the winter months, and after the Kedarnath temple closes for the winter, the image of Kedarnath passes through Gupt Kashi on its way to Ukhimath (across the valley), where it stays for the winter.

Gupt Kashi's main temple is to Shiva as Vishvanath, "Lord of the Universe" (the most important Shiva temple in Benares). It is built in an enclosed courtyard, and the architectural style here is typical of this region--stone construction with a high tower over the main sanctuary, and a wooden frame on top of the tower). The smaller temple to the left (photo below) is to Shiva Ardhanarishvara, and the two streams of water flowing into the temple tank in the foreground (click here or on the spouts for a closeup) are said to be the Yamuna (left) and the Ganga (right).

Excursions from Guptkashi to Nearby Places
Vishwanath temple
Ardhnareshwar temple
Manikarnik Kund

Ukhimath: The winter seat of Lord Kedarnath, it is 12 Km from Guptkashi

Triyuginarayan: It is believed that the wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati took place here.

Tungnath: This is the highest shrine of Shiva amongst the Panch Kedars.

How To Reach Guptkashi
By road, it is well connected with the major destinations of the region like Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Rudraprayag and so on. Nearest railhead is at Rishikesh (186 Km) and nearest airport is Jolly Grant of Dehradun.

Kedarnath

The Celestial Jyotirlingam
Amidst the dramatic mountainscapes of the majestic Kedarnath range stands one of the twelve 'Jyotirlingas' of Kedar or Lord Shiva. Lying at an altitude of 3584 mts. on the head of river Mandakini, the shrine of Kedarnath is amongst the holiest pilgrimages for the Hindus.

Kedarnath is a majestic sight, standing in the middle of a wide plateau surrounded by lofty snow covered peaks. The present temple, built in the 8th century by Adi Shankaracharya, stands adjacent to the site of an earlier temple built by the Pandavas. The inner walls of the assembly hall are decorated with figures of various deities and scenes from mythology. Outside the temple door a large statue of the Nandi Bull stands as guard.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the exquisitely architectured Kedarnath temple is said to be more than a 1000 years old. Built of extremely large, heavy and evenly cut gray slabs of stones, it evokes wonder as to how these heavy slabs were handled in the earlier days. The temple has a " Garbha Griha" for worship and a Mandap apt for assemblies of pilgrims and visitors. A conical rock formation inside the temple is worshipped as Lord Shiva in his Sadashiva form.

Location
Kedarnath is situated in the Uttar Kashi district of the northern state of Uttaranchal. Very close to the Indo-Chinese border, it is the source of the Mandakini River. It is couched in the scenic locales of the Garhwal Himalayas at 3583 meters above sea level. It is very cold in the winters with the ground being covered with snow. In the summers, the mercury barely crosses the 20°C mark. The place experiences about 150 cm of rainfall during the monsoons and so the best time to visit is between May and October. Kedarnath is near to Rishikesh (234 km) and Dehradun (250 km).

History
According to legend, Lord Shiva wished to elude the Pandavas, who had come to seek penitence for having killed their kin in the battle of Kurukshetra. He took refuge in Kedarnath in the form of a bull. Bhima, one of the Pandava brothers, found Shiva amongst a herd of cattle. Having identified the meanest and most arrogant of the herd as Shiva, Bhima is said to have grabbed him by the hindquarters. What remains at the shrine in Kedarnath is the rear end of the bull, with the rest of its body scattered throughout the Garhwal. Shiva dived into the ground leaving behind him a hump on the surface. This conical protrusion is worshipped as the idol. It is the main site of the Panch Kedar temples.

There are Four Other Kedars

Madhyamaheshwar
Tunganath
Kalpeshwar
Rudranath

Three of these (barring Kalpeshwar) are in mountain meadows at higher altitudes than Kedarnath. The climb to Rudranath is the most strenuous though worth the trouble, as this meadow is one of the finest in Garhwal.

Mythological Myth
Legend has it that when the Pandavas sought penance following the great war of the Mahabharata they came in search of Lord Shiva. Arriving at this site they found that Shiva had elusively taken the form of a bull. Bhim the strongest of the Pandavas went after Shiva who dived deep into the ground. Only Shiva's tail was left in Bhim's hand. This spot is known as the Kedarnath and is also considered the main Kedar. The rest of Shiva's body emerged at four other places in Garhwal - Tunganath, Madhyamaheshwar, Kalpeshwar and Rudranath.

These five Kedars are worshipped as Panch Kedars

Tungnath
Shiva's arms came out at Tungnath. The Tungnath temple is at an altitude of 3,680 m and is the highest Shiva shrine among the Panch Kedars. However it is the easiest to reach from Chopta, the nearest road head.

Rudranath
Shiva's face is worshipped at the Rudranath temple. It is about 2,286 m above sea level and is 23 km from Gopeshwar. 5 km of the distance is motor able and 18 km is on foot. The trek passes through wild orchards and picturesque bugyals (meadows) and involves trekking over high ridges (sometimes 4,000 m). The temple site provides magnificent views of Hathi Parvat, Nanda Devi, Nanda Ghungti, Trishuli and many other peaks. There are a number of holy kunds or ponds near the Rudranath temple like Suryakund, Chandrakund, Tarakund. The entire area is utterly enchanting and unmatched in scenic beauty. Anusuya Devi temple is located on the trek to Rudranath involving an additional trek of 3km.

Pilgrimage Attractions in Kedarnath
Kedarnath Temple
The present temple, built in 8th century A.D. by Adi Guru Shankaracharya lies adjacent to the site of an ancient temple built by Pandavas. The walls of the exquisitely architectured temple are embellished with figures of deities and scenes from mythology. The temple has a conical lingam - the main idol, a statue of Nandi - the celestial bull, a 'garbha grab' for worship and a 'mandap' for assemblies of piligrims and visitors. The temple is believed to be more than 1000 years old.

Shankaracharya Samadhi
Behind the Kedarnath Temple lies the samadhi or the final resting place of Adi Guru Shankaracharya. It is believed, after establishing the four dhams in India, he went for his samadhi at an early age of 32 years.

Excursions
Chorabari (Gandhi Sarovar) (2 kms.)
A small lake from where Yudhishthir, the eldest of the Pandavas, is believed to have departed to heaven. The floating ice on the sparkling waters of the lake is a fascinating sight.

Vasuki Tal (6 kms.)
A picturesque lake, 4,135 mts. above sea level is encircled by lofty mountains and offers a commanding view of the Chaukhamba peaks.

Gaurikund (14 kms.)
The trekking base to Kedarnath. A temple dedicated to Gauri and thermal springs of medicinal value are noteworthy.

Sonprayag (20 kms.)
The confluence of Son Ganga and Mandakini rivers. The road to Triyuginarayan diverts from here.

Triyuginarayan (25 kms.)
A 5 kms. trek from Sonprayag, it is the mythological venue of the marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.An eternal flame, which is said to have been a witness to the marriage, burns in front of the temple even today.

Guptkashi (49 kms.)
The temples of Ardhnarishwar and Vishwanath are noteworthy.

Ukshimath (60 kms)
Winter home of the deity of the Kedarnath Temple and the seat of the Rawal of Kedarnath.

Agastyamuni (73 kms.)
Famous for the temple dedicated to sage Agastya.

Chandrashila (93 kms.)
The Chandrashila peak provides a rare view of snow-clad peaks. The rhododendron Forests and alpine meadows dominate the trek fromTungnath to Chandrashila.

Deoria Tal (68 kms.)
Sari village is the last bus terminus on Chopta-Ukhimath road from where a 2 kms. trek leads to Deoria Tal. This beautiful lake at an altitude of 2,438 mts. gives the spectacular reflection of snow capped peaks in the lake water. Ideal spot for angling and bird watching.

Accessibility
Airport
Jolly Grant, Dehradun (251 kms.)
Rail
Rishikesh (234 kms.)
Kotdwar (260 kms.)
Road
Approachable on foot from Gaurikund, which is connected by road to Rishikesh, Kotwar, Dehradun, Haridwar and other important hill stations of Garhwal and Kumaon region.

Soruce: http://www.pilgrimage-india.com/chardham/kedarnath.html

Kedarnath

The Celestial Jyotirlingam
Amidst the dramatic mountainscapes of the majestic Kedarnath range stands one of the twelve 'Jyotirlingas' of Kedar or Lord Shiva. Lying at an altitude of 3584 mts. on the head of river Mandakini, the shrine of Kedarnath is amongst the holiest pilgrimages for the Hindus.

Kedarnath is a majestic sight, standing in the middle of a wide plateau surrounded by lofty snow covered peaks. The present temple, built in the 8th century by Adi Shankaracharya, stands adjacent to the site of an earlier temple built by the Pandavas. The inner walls of the assembly hall are decorated with figures of various deities and scenes from mythology. Outside the temple door a large statue of the Nandi Bull stands as guard.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the exquisitely architectured Kedarnath temple is said to be more than a 1000 years old. Built of extremely large, heavy and evenly cut gray slabs of stones, it evokes wonder as to how these heavy slabs were handled in the earlier days. The temple has a " Garbha Griha" for worship and a Mandap apt for assemblies of pilgrims and visitors. A conical rock formation inside the temple is worshipped as Lord Shiva in his Sadashiva form.

Location
Kedarnath is situated in the Uttar Kashi district of the northern state of Uttaranchal. Very close to the Indo-Chinese border, it is the source of the Mandakini River. It is couched in the scenic locales of the Garhwal Himalayas at 3583 meters above sea level. It is very cold in the winters with the ground being covered with snow. In the summers, the mercury barely crosses the 20°C mark. The place experiences about 150 cm of rainfall during the monsoons and so the best time to visit is between May and October. Kedarnath is near to Rishikesh (234 km) and Dehradun (250 km).

History
According to legend, Lord Shiva wished to elude the Pandavas, who had come to seek penitence for having killed their kin in the battle of Kurukshetra. He took refuge in Kedarnath in the form of a bull. Bhima, one of the Pandava brothers, found Shiva amongst a herd of cattle. Having identified the meanest and most arrogant of the herd as Shiva, Bhima is said to have grabbed him by the hindquarters. What remains at the shrine in Kedarnath is the rear end of the bull, with the rest of its body scattered throughout the Garhwal. Shiva dived into the ground leaving behind him a hump on the surface. This conical protrusion is worshipped as the idol. It is the main site of the Panch Kedar temples.

There are Four Other Kedars

Madhyamaheshwar
Tunganath
Kalpeshwar
Rudranath

Three of these (barring Kalpeshwar) are in mountain meadows at higher altitudes than Kedarnath. The climb to Rudranath is the most strenuous though worth the trouble, as this meadow is one of the finest in Garhwal.

Mythological Myth
Legend has it that when the Pandavas sought penance following the great war of the Mahabharata they came in search of Lord Shiva. Arriving at this site they found that Shiva had elusively taken the form of a bull. Bhim the strongest of the Pandavas went after Shiva who dived deep into the ground. Only Shiva's tail was left in Bhim's hand. This spot is known as the Kedarnath and is also considered the main Kedar. The rest of Shiva's body emerged at four other places in Garhwal - Tunganath, Madhyamaheshwar, Kalpeshwar and Rudranath.

These five Kedars are worshipped as Panch Kedars

Tungnath
Shiva's arms came out at Tungnath. The Tungnath temple is at an altitude of 3,680 m and is the highest Shiva shrine among the Panch Kedars. However it is the easiest to reach from Chopta, the nearest road head.

Rudranath
Shiva's face is worshipped at the Rudranath temple. It is about 2,286 m above sea level and is 23 km from Gopeshwar. 5 km of the distance is motor able and 18 km is on foot. The trek passes through wild orchards and picturesque bugyals (meadows) and involves trekking over high ridges (sometimes 4,000 m). The temple site provides magnificent views of Hathi Parvat, Nanda Devi, Nanda Ghungti, Trishuli and many other peaks. There are a number of holy kunds or ponds near the Rudranath temple like Suryakund, Chandrakund, Tarakund. The entire area is utterly enchanting and unmatched in scenic beauty. Anusuya Devi temple is located on the trek to Rudranath involving an additional trek of 3km.

Pilgrimage Attractions in Kedarnath
Kedarnath Temple
The present temple, built in 8th century A.D. by Adi Guru Shankaracharya lies adjacent to the site of an ancient temple built by Pandavas. The walls of the exquisitely architectured temple are embellished with figures of deities and scenes from mythology. The temple has a conical lingam - the main idol, a statue of Nandi - the celestial bull, a 'garbha grab' for worship and a 'mandap' for assemblies of piligrims and visitors. The temple is believed to be more than 1000 years old.

Shankaracharya Samadhi
Behind the Kedarnath Temple lies the samadhi or the final resting place of Adi Guru Shankaracharya. It is believed, after establishing the four dhams in India, he went for his samadhi at an early age of 32 years.

Excursions
Chorabari (Gandhi Sarovar) (2 kms.)
A small lake from where Yudhishthir, the eldest of the Pandavas, is believed to have departed to heaven. The floating ice on the sparkling waters of the lake is a fascinating sight.

Vasuki Tal (6 kms.)
A picturesque lake, 4,135 mts. above sea level is encircled by lofty mountains and offers a commanding view of the Chaukhamba peaks.

Gaurikund (14 kms.)
The trekking base to Kedarnath. A temple dedicated to Gauri and thermal springs of medicinal value are noteworthy.

Sonprayag (20 kms.)
The confluence of Son Ganga and Mandakini rivers. The road to Triyuginarayan diverts from here.

Triyuginarayan (25 kms.)
A 5 kms. trek from Sonprayag, it is the mythological venue of the marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.An eternal flame, which is said to have been a witness to the marriage, burns in front of the temple even today.

Guptkashi (49 kms.)
The temples of Ardhnarishwar and Vishwanath are noteworthy.

Ukshimath (60 kms)
Winter home of the deity of the Kedarnath Temple and the seat of the Rawal of Kedarnath.

Agastyamuni (73 kms.)
Famous for the temple dedicated to sage Agastya.

Chandrashila (93 kms.)
The Chandrashila peak provides a rare view of snow-clad peaks. The rhododendron Forests and alpine meadows dominate the trek fromTungnath to Chandrashila.

Deoria Tal (68 kms.)
Sari village is the last bus terminus on Chopta-Ukhimath road from where a 2 kms. trek leads to Deoria Tal. This beautiful lake at an altitude of 2,438 mts. gives the spectacular reflection of snow capped peaks in the lake water. Ideal spot for angling and bird watching.

Accessibility
Airport
Jolly Grant, Dehradun (251 kms.)
Rail
Rishikesh (234 kms.)
Kotdwar (260 kms.)
Road
Approachable on foot from Gaurikund, which is connected by road to Rishikesh, Kotwar, Dehradun, Haridwar and other important hill stations of Garhwal and Kumaon region.

Soruce: http://www.pilgrimage-india.com/chardham/kedarnath.html