Triyugi Narayan

Site Name: Triyugi Narayan
Site Type: Ancient Hindu temple
Location:  Uttarakhand state, India
Highlights: The marriage of Shiva and Parvati took place
Nearest Railway Station: Rishikesh
Nearest Airport: Dehradun 
How to reach: Reachable on road from Sonprayag, which is at a distance of around 5 kms
Climate: Sep to Nov - winter; Dec to Mar - snow bound; the other months are pleasant
Best time to visit: May - Oct
Clothing: Light woolen in summer; heavy woolen in winter
Hotel: Mid-range to star hotels are available in the nearby hill stations; people stay right from Rudraprayag to Gaurikund 
Restaurants: In Sonprayag - vegetarian option alone

If you live in India, it is unlikely that you would not have heard about Kedarnath or Badrinath. They are two of the most popular pilgrimages for Hindus. It is located on the Himalayas in Uttarakhand state of India. Near Kedarnath, exactly at a distance of 5 kms from Sonprayag, a small village called Triyugi Narayan is situated. It has the ancient Triyugi Narayan temple. Let us explore about this site in this article. 

Triyugi Narayan temple is the site, where it is believed that the marriage of Lord Shiva and Parvati took place. There is a havan (holy fire) in front of the main shrine. It is believed that this havan is burning continuously since the day when the divine marriage took place. Due to this, the temple is also called as Akhand Dhuni temple. The exact location where the marriage took place is marked by a place called Brahma Shila. 

The current structure of the temple is believed to be built by Adi Shankaracharya. (Of course, the current structure is new, but as per the legend most of the temples in Uttarakhand are credited to Adi Shankaracharya).

The temple enshrines the silver idol of Vishnu, the presiding deity of the temple. He is found along with Lakshmi and Saraswati. 

Although the site is related to the marriage of Shiva and Parvati, there are no idols of Shiva or Parvati found in this temple. It is believed that the wedding took place with Vishnu standing as the witness. Hence, this temple is dedicated to Vishnu.

The holy ponds called Brahma Kund, Vishnu Kund, Rudra Kund and Saraswati Kund are located nearby. It is believed that Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra took bath in the first three ponds and they were originated from Saraswati Kund, which in turn was originated from the navel of Lord Vishnu.

Not only the devotees, but even the trekkers and travelers visit this temple. It is located in a serene locality surrounded by the breathtaking views of Himalayan hills and streams.

Happy travelling. 




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