Panch Prayag Yatra
One of the most difficult pilgrimage yantras in India refers to the five temples of Lord Shiva in the high Himalayas - Kedarnath, Madhyamaheshwar, Tungnath, Rudranath, and kalpeshwar.
It is popularly believed that the Pandavas, after their victory in the Mahabharata wished to pay homage to Lord Shiva to atone for gotra hatya – killing their kin, the Kauravas. At Kedarnath, seeing the Pandavas coming, lord Shiva disguised himself as a bull. However, the Pandavas saw through this disguise. Realizing that the disguise has not worked the Madhyamaheshwar and Tungnath. Rudranath and kalpeshwar, however, remained in cave temples.
bull tried to thrust itself into the ground. Bhima tried to
hold the bull to prevent it from vanishing. In the struggle that ensued,
Shiva got torn into separate parts that manifested themselves at
various locations in Jharkhand. The forehead appeared at Pashupatinath
in Kathmandu; the hump at Kedarnath; the torso including the navel at
Madhyamaheshwar; the arms at Tungnath; the face manifested itself at
Rudranath and the legendary matted locks of Shiva at kalpeshwar. The
five sites that fall in India are referred to as Panch Kedar. It is held
that the Pandavas and their descendants built the temples at Kedarnath,
Panch Prayag Tour Package (9 Nights / 10 Days)
Day 01: Delhi - Haridwar (220 Kms / 6 Hrs)in the early morning after breakfast drive to Haridwar lunch on the way and continue to drive to Haridwar check into hotel overnight stay at Haridwar.
Day 02: Haridwar - Devprayag (100 Kms / 5 Hrs)
The morning after breakfast drive to Devprayag chick into the hotel lunch after lunch sightseeing at Devprayag and dinner overnight stay at Devprayag.
Deoprayag is regarded as the entire showcase of legends, tradition, and society. 70 km from Rishikesh, here the Bhagirathi from Gaumukh and the Alaknanda from Satopanth join and for most Indians, this meeting is no less holy than the Sangam at Allahabad. These 3 rivers flowing royally through sculptured channels carved through the rocks have carved angular blocks of land around the confluence and the city is set into these 3 angles. To be found at a height of only 618 m, Deoprayag is an
invocation to the gods who have kindly endowed this spot with remarkable
natural beauty. It is believed that Lord Rama and his father King
Dashratha did penance here. The temple of Raghunathji houses a tall
picture of Lord Rama made of black granite. The most celebrated event at
Deoprayag is the congregation of devotees, who come here to worship at
Raghunath temple.
In the early morning after breakfast drive to Rudraprayag chick into a hotel and lunch sightseeing tour in Rudraprayag and dinner overnight at Rudraprayag.
Rudraprayag is the joining point of the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers. The place gets its name from Lord Shiva, also known as Rudra. Hindus trust that the sage Narad worshipped Lord Shiva here to be blessed with the mastery of music mysteries. Rudraprayag also commemorates the event when
Sati, consort of Lord Shiva, took rebirth after her self-immolation.
The shrine of Kedarnath is 84 km from Rudraprayag while Badrinath shrine is 159 km from here.
Day 04: Rudraprayag – Karanprayag (33 km / 3 hrs)
The morning after breakfast drive to Karanprayag chick into a hotel and lunch after lunch sightseeing at Karanprayag and Dinner overnight stay at Karanprayag.
The icy flow from the Pindari glacier becomes the Pindari River, and
when it joins the Alaknanda at 788 mts, the confluence is recognized as
Karnaprayag. The wooded thickets of the hills surrounding Karnaprayag
were the meeting ground for Shakuntala and Dhyana, immortalized in
Kalidasa's immortal classic of the same name and a preferred ballad ever
since, there is a temple dedicated to Karna here, the son of queen
Kunti and her fiery lover, Lord Surya. Karna's lineage was kept a secret, but he practised austerities before his father and was granted
the boon of a pair of earrings and armour that made him invincible,
finally, he fell in the battle between the Pandavas and Kauravas, but he remin a
tragic hero for in life he never had the legitimacy he desired. Another
temple at the confluence is dedicated to Narayan, Gopal, Shiva, and Uma.
Day 05: Karanprayag – Nandprayag (35 Kms / 3 Hrs)
The morning after breakfast drive to Prayag Chick into a hotel and lunch
after lunch sightseeing at Nandparyag and dinner overnight stay at
Nandprayag.
Green Mandakini River, created from a glacier near Nanda Devi, receives the lighter-coloured Alaknanda at Nandprayag with the confluence noticeable by a brightly coloured, triangular concrete block. Steps lead down to the banks of both rivers. Fable has it that this Prayag was previously recognized as Kanvasu, later than Maharishi Kanva who had his ashram here. It was only after King Nand made a Maha Yagna here that it took on the name of Nandprayag. Nandprayag is unique in that there is no temple on its ghats. Earlier period, a temple dedicated to Nanda Devi got washed away along with its priest in a flash flood. However, the
close shrines of Gangeshwar Mahadev, Chandika Devi and Gopalji are
worth a visit.
Day 06:Nandprayag – Vishnuprayag – Joshimath (40Kms / 3 Hrs)
The morning after breakfast drive to Joshimath lunch at Bishnuprayag
sightseeing and drive to Joshimath Chick into the hotel Dinner overnight
stay at Joshimath.
Formed by the meeting of the impetuous Vishnu Ganga (recognized, after
this point, as the Alaknanda) and the Dhauliganga rivers, Vishnu Prayag,
1,372 mts. has a very old temple here by a pool known as Vishukund. It is said that the sage Narada worshipped Vishnu at this holy place, and the Lord, pleased with his austerities, had given him his blessings.
Visitors find the Kagbhusandi lake bewitching with its bright green depths giving it a still surface, while on the banks, blossoms evoke the colours of nature in all her magnificence. The lake can be moved toward from either Bhundar village near Ghangaria or from Vishnu Prayag.
Day 07: Joshimath – Badrinath (44 km / 5 hrs)
The morning after breakfast drive to Badrinath chick in to hotel and lunch after lunch, Later in the evening visit Badrinath Temple for Aarti. Overnight stay at Badrinath.
Day 08: Badrinath – Mana – Joshimath (44 Kms / 4 Hrs)
For morning breakfast after having a bath in the Taptkund have the Darshan of Badrivishal. Brahamakamal is significant for Pinddan Shraddh of ancestors). There are other interesting sightseeing spots like Mana,
Vyas Gufa, Maatamoorti, Charanpaduka, Bhimkund and the "Mukh" of the
Saraswati River. Just within the three km of Badrinathjee, Later drive to Joshimath. Check-in Hotel. Dinner overnight stays at Joshimath.
Day 09: Joshimath - Rishikesh (254 km / 7 Hrs)
The morning after breakfast drive to Rishikesh. Via Devprayag checks in a hotel in Rishikesh. Dinner and overnight stay at Rishikesh.
Legend has it that the arms of Shiva appeared in Tungnath after he took the
form of a bull. According to Skanda Purana Shiva tells Parvati that
whoever has Darshan and seeks the blessings of Tungnath attains saga
or spiritual salvation regardless of the place of his death.
Day 10: Rishikesh – Delhi 250Kms / 6 Hrs)
The morning after breakfast drive to Delhi, Lunch en route and continue to drive to Delhi Tour End
