Basukedar Temple: Shiva halted here before going to Kedarnath.

Where is Basukedar Temple Located?

The Basukedar Temple is situated in the Basukedar Village, which is about 40 KM from Rudraprayag, a holy town in Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand.

The temple is about 5 KM away from the Chandrapuri Village via Augustmuni, named after the great saint Agastya. The entire region around the temple is a spiritual haven for yoga practitioners, travellers, and spiritual seekers.

The temple is surrounded by beautiful Himalayan views, with the most notable being the Chaukhamba Peak (7,138 meters) to the north.

About the Basukedar Temple

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Basukedar temple is one of Lord Shiva’s temples you must visit before going to Kedarnath. The temple complex at the Basukedar Village has the main temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, and about 25 other smaller temples of various gods and goddesses.

The structures are believed to be at least 1000 years old.

The Shiva temple retains its traditional architecture (Nagara) style, similar to other temples of Lord Shiva such as Kedarnath and Lakhamandal.

History of the Basukedar Temple

The history of the Basukedar Temple lies in its name, where Basu means to dwell (Basera in Hindi) and Kedar is the name of Lord Shiva.

It is believed that Lord Shiva stayed at this place for a night before moving on to Kedarnath.  

Another belief is that the temples were constructed by the Pandavas, on their way to search for Lord Shiva, in hopes that he would release them of their sins of committing genocide.

It is well known that the temples in the Kedarkhand region are believed to have been constructed by the Pandavas during their travels. Basukedar is one such temple.

Interesting facts about the Basukedar Temple Temple

• The place is believed to be the last place where Lord Shiva was seen.
• Long before there were roads, pilgrims would trek to reach the Kedarnath Dham. The Basukedar village falls on this trekking route and people that wish to travel on foot, the trek is still available.
• Being a secluded place carefully protected by the Himalayas, the Basukedar Temple is ideal place for people seeking peace, a great place to meditate.

How to reach the Basukedar Temple Temple?

The Rudraprayag District of Uttarakhand is well connected with motorable roads and is en route to the Char Dham Yatra.

It is well connected to all the major towns and cities in Uttarakhand like Dehradun, Rishikesh, and Haridwar and public transport is easily available.

Therefore, reaching the Basukedar Temple has become easier via the National Highway 7 in Uttarakhand, which is a newly constructed road.

Nearest airport

The nearest airport to the Basukedar Temple is the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, which is 192 KM away. Rishikesh is 20 KM from the airport, from where you can either take a state government bus or book a taxi to the Basukedar Temple.

Nearest Railway Station

The nearest railway station to Basukedar Temple in Rishikesh is at a distance of 176 KM. Two perfectly valid alternatives are the Dehradun (215 KM) and Haridwar(199 KM) railway stations, depending on your travel plans.

Road network: Motorable route to the Basukedar Temple

Dehradun-Rishikesh (43 KM)

Rishikesh-Rudraprayag (140.9 KM)

Rudraprayag-Basukedar Village (40 KM)

Estimated Travel time: 8-10 hours.

Public transport to reach the Basukedar Temple Temple

Since the temple falls on the Yatra Route (Char Dham), you can take shared taxis or state-run buses from either Dehradun, Rishikesh, as well as Haridwar.

Buses/shared taxis to Rudraprayag are plenty, which is 40 KM from the Basukedar Temple.

Basukedar Temple Temple: Things to Know

Best time to visit

All around the year.

Visit Duration 

Two hours to visit the temple complex.  More if you love meditation and yoga, you might not find a better meditation site than this. It is suggested that you stay there for a night at least.

Major Cities near the Basukedar Temple

Other places to visit near the Basukedar Temple