Rudranath Temple- The Anger God’s Abode

Where is Rudranath Temple Located?

Falling third in the Panch Kedar pecking order, Rudranath Temple is one of the most important temples of Lord Shiva situated in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. Visitors can reach it on foot from Sagar Village near Helang or Urgam Village.

Surrounded by might Himalayan peaks of Trishul, Nanda Ghuti, and Nanda Devi, the temple is situated at an altitude of 2290 meters above sea level. “Rudranath” literally means “Him who is Angry.”

It is a rock temple surrounded by the dense forest of rhododendron and Alpine pastures.

History of Rudranath Temple

Rudranath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. As per Hindu mythology, Rudranath Temple was built by the Pandavas after the epic war of Kurukshetra.

It is said that Lord Shankar’s Ekanan means the face is worshipped in Rudranath. The face is approximately 3 feet from the chin, and a white cloth always covers the crown of Lord Shiva.

The symbolic image of Shiva is brought to Gopeshwar. After crossing Dhalabni Maidan, the Doli or the symbolic image of Shiva reaches Rudranath.

The temple celebrates an annual fair which is attended mainly by the locals. The fair is organized in the Hindu month of Savan, which falls between July – August.

On the trekking route to Rudranath, devotees worship the historic swords which belong to the Pandavas.

The temple is surrounded by various “Kunds” like Surya-Kund, Chandra-Kund, Tara-Kund, Mana-Kund etc. Holy River Vaitarani or Baitarani, or Rudraganga, flows near the temple.

Devotees visit Rudranath Temple to perform the last ritual sites of the dead, known as “pind”. It is said that a pind offered here is equal to a hundred million at the holy city of Gaya.

How to Reach the Rudranath Temple?

By Air

Rudranath is located on Gopeshwar-Kedarnath Road. Jolly Grant Airport is the nearest airport, about 258 km from Gopeshwar. You can easily find taxis and buses from Dehradun airport to Gopeshwar.

By Road

As said earlier, Rudranath is located on Gopeshwar-Kedarnath Road. A 20 km trek from Sagar will help to reach Rudranath.

By Rail

The nearest railway station from Gopeshwar is Rishikesh, approximately 241km away. You can easily find a bus/taxi to reach Gopeshwar.

Major Cities Near The Rudranath Temple

Rudranath Temple has its religious importance. Apart from the worship of Lord Shiva, there is a trekking route which makes the temple attraction to Rudranath temple memorable for the visitors. You will be amazed by the serenity of this place.