Explore Guptkashi – a religious yet attractive tourist spot
Located at a height of 1319 meters above the sea level in the Garhwal Himalayas of the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, Guptkashi is a quite large town. It is located nearly 47 km before Lord Shiva’s holy temple, Kedarnath. It is well-known to enjoy the magnificent backdrop of the enthralling snow-capped Chaukhamba mountains. Due to the attractive views of the Chaunkhmaba mountains, lush-green forests, and salubrious weather, the place is an ideal location for vacation makers.
Guptkashi is also known to be an ideal stopover for people traveling to Kedarnath as it is granted with lots of religious importance. It’s also well-known for its Vishwanath Temple devoted to Lord Shiva, the same as the temple in Varanasi. Another well-known temple of Guptkashi is the Ardhanareshvara Temple, the half-man and half-woman form of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Guptkashi is just after Varanasi when it comes to religious importance and thus it’s one of the holiest Hindu pilgrimage places. Except for this, Guptkashi is home to many unruly terrains and glacial passes that make people thirsty for more adventure.
It is believed that following the Kurukshetra war of Mahabharata, Pandavas on the advice of Lord Krishna wanted to apologize for their sin of Brahmanahatya and fratricide that was committed by them by seeking forgiveness from Lord Shiva. They also wanted to pray and get his blessings before they attained salvation. However, Lord Shiva did not want to meet them as he was angry with the unfair happenings during the war. Hence, he kept escaping from them and went secretly to Guptkashi in the form of bull Nandi. Pandavas then pursued Lord shiva to Guptkashi and identified him as Nandi. When the second Pandava brother, Bhima tried to hold Nandi by its legs, Nandi escaped from Guptkashi in the ground. He later appeared as Shiva in 5 different forms. Lord Shiva’s vanishing act give this place the name of Guptkashi. Mythology also mentions that Lord Shiva proposed to Goddess Parvati at Guptkashi only before they tied the knot.
The trek route from Guptkashi to Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib is a wonderful pleasure. Open for tourists from April, the valley is almost 10 km long and 2 km wide. Guptkashi has a religious trek as well. Trekking to Tungnath Temple can be a beautiful and traffic-free experience.
Because of its association with Mahabharata and Lord Shiva, Guptkashi has spiritual and religious significance. However, the place has amazing sightseeing opportunities as well including: Vishwanath Temple, Manikarnika Kund, Gaurikund Ardhanarishwar Temple, Chopta, Ukhimath and Kedarnath
Shopping: Since Guptkashi is one of the biggest towns in Rudraprayag district, you can find many stores and shops that cater to tourists and locals. From religious artifacts and idols to arts, crafts and paintings, everything can be bought in Guptkashi.
Pilgrimage: Being a highly holy place, Guptkashi has a lot of religious importance for the devotees and pilgrims. There are lots of famous temples committed to Lord Shiva here.
Trekking: Certainly, Guptkashi has amazing treks for the adventure enthusiasts. Enjoy the serene beauty and lush green surroundings while trekking.
