The Legend Behind Panch Kedar
According to legend, after the great war of the Mahabharata, the Pandavas sought forgiveness from Lord Shiva for the sins of killing their own kin. Shiva, unwilling to grant an audience, fled in the form of a bull and dove into the ground near present-day Kedarnath, leaving five parts of his body to emerge at five different locations across the Garhwal Himalayas. Together, these five sites are known as the Panch Kedar — the five Kedars.
The Five Temples
1. Kedarnath — The Hump
The most visited of the five, Kedarnath sits at 3,583 m and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. The temple, believed to be where the hump of the bull emerged, is reached via a paved trek from Gaurikund and draws lakhs of pilgrims each season.
2. Madhyamaheshwar — The Navel
Known as the "Second Kedar," Madhyamaheshwar is a quieter, less-visited temple where the navel of the bull is said to have appeared. The trek here winds through rhododendron forests and high meadows, with the Chaukhamba peaks as a constant backdrop.
3. Tungnath — The Arms
Tungnath, reached from Chopta, is the highest Shiva temple in the world at over 3,600 m, and marks where the arms of the bull emerged. It's also the gateway to Chandrashila peak, one of the most rewarding short summit hikes in the region.
4. Rudranath — The Face
Rudranath is arguably the most demanding of the five to reach, with a long trek through dense forest and high meadows before the temple — set among a cluster of natural rock caves — comes into view. This is where the face of the bull is believed to have appeared.
5. Kalpeshwar — The Hair
The only Panch Kedar temple accessible year-round, Kalpeshwar sits inside a natural cave in the Urgam Valley and is believed to be where the hair (jata) of the bull emerged.
Planning Your Panch Kedar Circuit
Very few travellers complete all five in a single trip — each temple involves its own trek, and together they cover a significant stretch of the Garhwal Himalayas. Most people visit one or two Kedars per trip, often starting with Kedarnath or Tungnath as the more accessible options, and returning over subsequent trips for Madhyamaheshwar and Rudranath.
The best season for most of the Panch Kedar temples is May to June and September to October, avoiding the monsoon months when trails can be affected by landslides.
Trip Trek India's Panch Kedar Departures
We currently run group departures to four of the five Panch Kedar temples: