हिंदीOn this day
Standing

Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath

When snow closes Kedarnath each Kartik, Baba Kedar is carried down in his palki to Ukhimath and worshipped here through the winter. The town is also where the Puranas place the marriage of Usha and Aniruddha.

Built: Stone temple and seat of the Rawal of Kedarnath; winter home of Kedarnath and MadhyamaheshwarWhere: Uttarakhand (Rudraprayag district)Deity: Bhagwan Shiva as Omkareshwar; the utsava murtis of Kedarnath and Madhyamaheshwar in winter30.52° N, 79.10° E
Photo: Ms Sarah Welch · CC0

01Kedar’s winter seat

On the day after Bhai Dooj the doors of Kedarnath shut, and the panchmukhi utsava murti of Baba Kedar sets out in the doli, resting at Rampur and Guptkashi, and reaches Omkareshwar at Ukhimath on the third day. Here he is worshipped until Akshaya Tritiya brings him back up the valley. The utsava murti of Madhyamaheshwar of the Panch Kedar also winters here. The Rawal, the chief priest of Kedarnath, who comes from the Veerashaiva Jangam line of Karnataka, has his seat in the temple, and the Kedarnath priests live in the town.

02Usha’s town

The Bhagavata and Harivamsha tell of Usha, daughter of Banasura, who saw Aniruddha, Shri Krishna’s grandson, in a dream and had her friend Chitralekha bring him to her. Their marriage is placed at this town, and the name Ukhimath is taken from Usha. The temple keeps a mandap called Usha’s, and shrines to Usha, Aniruddha, Mandhata and Shiva-Parvati stand in the courtyard. Mandhata, the king of the Surya vamsha, is said to have done tapas here and received Shiva’s darshan as Omkar.

Visiting

Ukhimath is about 41 km from Rudraprayag. In winter, when Kedarnath is shut, this is where Kedar’s darshan is had.

Nearby

Kalimath TempleStanding
Vedic Rishis and the Itihasa

Kalimath Temple

At Kalimath, on a river bank in the Kedar valley, Mahakali is said to have gone into the earth after slaying Raktabija. No murti is worshipped; the priests open the covered kund for a single night in the year.

TungnathStanding
Vedic Rishis and the Itihasa

Tungnath

The third of the Pancha Kedar and the highest Shiva temple of the five, at 3,680 m on the ridge between the Mandakini and Alaknanda. The arms of Mahadev are worshipped here.

Gaurikund (Anekathangavadam of the Tevaram)Standing
Vedic Rishis and the Itihasa

Gaurikund (Anekathangavadam of the Tevaram)

The last halt before the walk to Kedarnath, where Mata Parvati did tapas to win Mahadev. Tamil tradition identifies it with Anekathangavadam, one of the Himalayan shrines Sambandar sang.

Madhyamaheshwar (Madmaheshwar)Standing
Vedic Rishis and the Itihasa

Madhyamaheshwar (Madmaheshwar)

The second of the Pancha Kedar in the order of worship, where the middle, the navel, of Mahadev is worshipped. It sits in a high meadow at 3,497 m, looking up at the four summits of Chaukhamba.