Guptkashi, Pilgrimage Tourism, Temples, Uttarakhand |Pravase

Legend, Importance, Travel Guide of Guptkashi, Uttarakhand

Guptkashi or Gupta Kashi means the hidden Kashi (the old name of Banaras or Varanasi) is located at height of 1319 mtrs in Garhwal Himalaya of Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhanda. Guptkashi is located on the route of Kedarnath Dham – one of the 12 Jyotirlinga and just 47 kms from Kedarnath and 34 km from Gaurikund – the base town from trek to Kedarnath starts. Guptkashi is an ancient highly sacred town of Uttarakhand and associated with lots of tales. The key attractions of Guptakashi are ancient Vishwanath temple, Ardhnarishwar temple a half man half woman form of Shiva and Parvati and Manikarnika Kund where two streams of the Ganga and Yamuna meet. Ancient Vishwanath Temple dedicated to the god Shiva, which is similar to the one in Varanasi thus believed to be as pious as the Varanasi.

As per the Legend, Gupakashi is associated with Lord Shiva, Pandavas and Mahabharata at time of end of Dwapar Yuga . After the Great War at Kurukshetra between Pandavas and Kauravas, the Pandavas were felt guilty of killing their cousins and elders, thus they had been advised by the Lord Krishna to seek pardon from Shiva and worship. But Shiva did not willing to meet Pandava and to avoid meeting them at Kashi, Lord Shiva went as the form of bull - Nandi to Guptakashi in Uttarakhand. But Pandavas were able to located Lord Shiva at Guptakashi and recognized him in the disguised form of Nandi. When Bhima tried to hold the bull by its tail and hind legs, Nandi vanished from Guptakashi into the ground. Then Lord Shiva reappeared later in five different forms, which are namely, hump at Kedarnath, face at Rudranath, arms at Tungnath, navel and stomach at Madhyamaheshwar and the hairs at Kalpeshwar. This five places are called the Panch Kedar and Kedarnath is the mail shrine in all these five places. The disappearing act of Lord Shiva gave the place name as Guptakashi means the hidden Kashi which is located on the bank of the Mandakini River.

Taluka / Tehsil: Ukhimath, District: Rudraprayag, State: uttarakhand-uttaranchal, Country: india.

Religious Importance: Hindu