The portals of Lord Madmaheshwar temple, located in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district, will open to devotees on Wednesday at 11:30 am. Revered as the second Kedar, the temple is a part of the sacred Panch Kedar circuit, which includes five major shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva—Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath, Madmaheshwar, and Kalpeshwar. The pilgrimage traditionally begins at Kedarnath and proceeds through the other temples in a specific sequence.
The idol of Lord Madmaheshwar was carried from the Shri Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath on May 19 in a ceremonial palanquin. Believed to have been established by the Pandavas, the temple is located at an altitude of 3,289 metres at the base of the Chaukhamba peak. It is accessible via a challenging 16–18 km trek from Aktolidhar or Ransi village. The name Madmaheshwar derives from the belief that the middle part (navel or stomach) of Lord Shiva is worshipped here.
According to legend, after the Kurukshetra war, the Pandavas sought Lord Shiva’s forgiveness. Shiva, unwilling to forgive them, transformed into a bull and disappeared into the earth. When he was eventually appeased, different parts of his form appeared at various sites—his hump at Kedarnath, arms at Tungnath, face at Rudranath, navel at Madmaheshwar, and hair at Kalpeshwar. The temple, blending North and South Indian architectural styles, is considered highly sacred, with even a few drops of water from its premises believed to grant salvation. The entire Panch Kedar pilgrimage spans roughly 95 km and takes about 10–12 days to complete on foot.
Post Your Comments