TirthAtlas

Madhyamaheshwar Temple

मध्यमहेश्वर मंदिर

Deity
Shiva
Location
Madhyamaheshwar, Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand
Coordinates
30.64° N, 79.22° E
Open
May to Oct/Nov
Part of
Madhyamaheshwar Temple's stone spire in a high meadow
Photo: Bodhisattwa / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Significance

Madhyamaheshwar, also called Madmaheshwar, is one of the five Panch Kedar temples, at about 3,500 metres in the Garhwal Himalaya. The middle, or navel, of Shiva is worshipped here.

History and legend

The temple is believed to have been built by the Pandavas. In the Panch Kedar legend, Shiva, fleeing them in the form of a bull, sank into the ground at Kedarnath, and his navel appeared here.

Before you go

  • There is no road to the temple; allow at least two days for the round trip from Ransi, with simple stays in the villages on the way.
  • A steep 2 km climb above the temple leads to a small lake with wide views of Chaukhamba and the surrounding peaks.
  • The temple closes for the winter, when worship moves to Ukhimath.

Photos

Chaukhamba peak reflected in the small lake at Budha Madhyamaheshwar
Photo: Abhishek.ghosh1984 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The forest trail from Gaundar to Madhyamaheshwar
Photo: Bodhisattwa / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Visiting

Open
May. Closes October or November. In winter the deity is worshipped at Ukhimath.
Best time to visit
May to June, and September to October
Darshan timings
Check with the temple before you travel.

Where to stay

Pilgrims usually stay in Ukhimath. On the trek, the villages of Ransi and Gaundar have simple homestays, and Madhyamaheshwar itself has basic lodges and a GMVN guest house.

Nearby temples

Sources

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