Kalimath Trek

Overview

Kalimath Temple lies near the banks of River Saraswati, about 13 km north of Guptkashi, in Rudraprayag district. Devoted to Goddess Kali, the temple is perched at a height of around 1800m above the sea level and is counted amongst the top religious tourism places in Rudraprayag. As per the Shrimad Devi Bhagwat Mahapuran, Kalimath Temple is reckoned to be one of the 108 Shakti Peeths. Not just this, this ancient temple in Uttarakhand also has its mentioned in chapter 62 of SkandaPurana. An interesting fact about Kalimath Temple is that only the lower portion of Goddess Kali is worshipped here, while, the upper half is worshipped at Dhari Devi Temple located between Rudraprayag and Srinagar Garhwal.  Besides Kali, Goddess Laxmi Ji and Goddess Saraswati Ji are also worshipped here at Kalimath Temple

Moreover, some 8 km above the temple, there is located the Kalishila Temple where lies the marks of the footprints of Goddess. As per the beliefs, Kalishila Temple is said to be the place where the goddess thwarted and killed two demons – Nishumbha and Raktabija.

Historical Importance:

Kalimath is the place where Goddess Kali took the form of a 12-year-old girl to defeat the demons – Nishumbha and Raktabija. After conquering the demons, and thus, saving the universe, Goddess Kali went underground here. That spot turns into a ditch and is considered to be sacred.

Moreover, the spot is always kept covered by a silver plate and is only get uncovered on the occasion of the annual Navratri festival. This silver plate is treated as sacred, and hence, is worshipped as a holy symbol of Goddess Kali.