Panch Kedar: The Five Sacred Temples of Lord Shiva in Uttarakhand

[{"selector":"#anim-c85048c4-ce94-4176-bee0-f6a0ba0695c5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-39f398c1-98b6-4e57-9cfc-69df87788d14","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 148.08591%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-984d2172-23ec-4702-9b96-6d23a88d7e86 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-18.002717246949214%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dea353bf-590d-4e51-bc74-2ccb18837575","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ae1b2b7a-2d16-4cff-883b-f422a0cd46a5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-99.2771%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Uttarakhand has numerous Hindu temples scattered throughout the state. In the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, five revered shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva exist.

[{"selector":"#anim-3ae16c6e-e7e3-46c0-b05a-5e7bfa2799e2 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-4.144021688924044%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d8d5cb7e-4968-4204-9540-9e403571f28e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-03fa8e1a-1728-40be-aba6-97c1284a0c47","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-99.2771%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5a86c9a9-8e0c-43ed-bc22-a0b9aa120378","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2699e972-2ff0-4a76-bb43-5945cfcb823e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 148.08591%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] These five temples are collectively known as Panch Kedar, which means "five". The five temples are Kedarnath , Madhmaheshwar , Tungnath , Rudranath , and Kalpnath

[{"selector":"#anim-a2974605-bab3-465e-b2f7-04361bb02efb [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-30.995244553025785%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7bc4aeac-568f-4568-9318-9658f60fccd7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b5df3b90-924f-423b-8083-f95627ce084c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-99.2771%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-196f7d75-6e30-45ed-b01a-86173197e62b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c4ec7d65-12f5-4e5d-8b01-e44be58dd3ff","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 148.08591%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] According to mythology, during one of the ages described in the ancient Hindu scriptures, the Pandava princes were instructed to worship Lord Shiva in Uttarakhand .

[{"selector":"#anim-1d709fbc-e57e-4627-9cba-dd2e1169a903 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-29.75331168690162%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4b8684d8-3a93-4fa3-bc02-8f9904bfda87","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c43abe2a-8318-452e-9e96-35df48b9fc4d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-99.2771%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dba4595f-67ee-43e0-ae8b-f74ce8d25660","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1d9f09d0-f6e6-4c45-803b-f043dcb4578c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 148.08591%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The Pandava brothers were to worship Lord Shiva as penance for the bloodshed caused in the war, as mentioned in the Hindu epic Mahabharata .

[{"selector":"#anim-d7ed884d-df25-4c1d-9c4e-5cac53e1d547 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-22.72206164423626%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d9dbdd13-8f06-4d7c-b664-01e48212cadf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5e192bde-1c3d-4ca8-99fa-03d009a4f6cf","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-99.2771%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-38d36e04-b3b9-49de-b4db-fd6e92d77246","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-801cf52a-272e-421f-b2bf-1a407321f630","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.86551%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Legend has it that Lord Shiva took the form of a buffalo to evade the Pandavas but was identified by Bhima .

[{"selector":"#anim-f3b31eb5-88dd-472f-80df-7cc4ebe41c7c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fb2017fb-0754-4bf5-bc40-d9ed52555f94","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ca3b4c45-89b2-4c06-97b1-a8355a1c40a0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-99.2771%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d118a0de-2349-40cd-9635-7529d2fe799f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0038ad86-a20c-4717-aaee-38f6b3161029","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.86551%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Upon recognition, the deity disappeared and manifested himself in five different locations in the Himalayas.

[{"selector":"#anim-85fe5cb2-bac5-4d1e-817f-37fed1bb6932 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-28.40888175085273%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d161910e-7b31-48a4-9841-5b73226db6ff","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1ef0db01-2673-4371-8d15-c70ad3a77c7f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-99.28229%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-85f20ef1-2e8e-4a11-a43b-b79866940b9c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e5a2cb23-f242-4fc9-86ba-24370c2d7f4e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 129.47442%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Each of the five sites is dedicated to a part of the Lord - Kedarnath (the hump of Lord Shiva), Madhmaheshwar (His belly button), Tungnath (His arms), Rudranath (His face), and Kalpeshwar (His jata or hair).

[{"selector":"#anim-541b159f-6e71-4a2e-876a-9e360b32ad32 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-28.40888175085273%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bf432afc-81bb-45d1-a9d7-b32d444da6ae","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-155e9a44-7f0c-45fb-a349-abe3d923e966","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 835.74945%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] More Stories Learn more