Rudraprayag in Chamba
Travel to India > Chamba > Rudraprayag in ChambaRudraprayag, one of the 6 districts of Garhwal, is a nagar panchayat and a district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Perched at an altitude of 4200 ft above sea level, Rudraprayag is a small pilgrim town with a populace of just 5000. Rudraprayag was earlier a part of district Chamoli and Tehri but in 1997, the Kedarnath valley and parts of district Tehri & Pauri were conjoined to form a new district-Rudraprayag. Numerous mythological stories are associated with the town and this accounts for the presence of several temples, shrines and ashrams which are thronged by devotees all round the year from all over the world.
Christened after one of the personifications of Lord Shiva-Rudra, the town has been named so since it is situated at the 'Prayag' or the meeting point of the two rivers-Alaknanda and Mandakini. River Alaknanda flows from the Alkapur glacier beyond Badrinath while River Mandakini flows from Kedarnath, making it more sanctified since Kedarnath and Badrinath are the two very important pilgrimage centers of Hindus. This point is venerated to be one of the five sacred confluences i.e. the Panch Prayag. According to the fables, Narad Muni, a saint, meditated here for several years at the Rudranath (Lord Shiva) temple and the lord impressed with his prayers appeared here to bless him. Nestled amidst the majestic ice covered mountains and holy streams, the town has served as an abode to saints and spiritualists since ages who had led the life of asceticism and lived in the Himalayan caves.
Rudraprayag is bordered by Garhwal district in the north, Chamoli in the east, Pauri Garhwal in the south and Tehri Garhwal in the west. A paradise tucked away in the Himalayas, Rudraprayag is the place where visitors take a stopover enroute their Char Dham Yatra. Panch Kedar of Lord Shiva-Kedarnath, Rudranath, Tungnath, Madhyameshwar and Kalpeshwar are located in Rudraprayag district only. More than 200 temples and shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva are located in the Rudraprayag district only.
With snow capped Himalayas in the backdrop, gushing water of the revered rivers, ravishing ravines, glaciers, glittering lakes and copious variety of vegetation, Rudraprayag is best described as the God's abode. With nature's bounties scattered all around it is a place to relax and rejuvenate your senses. Blessed with all the nature's beauteousness and several religious temples, Rudraprayag offers numerous options for naturalists, environmentalists and adventure lovers alike.
There are several tourist attractions in and around Rudraprayag which are worth a visit. Koteshwar temple is one of the most prominent ones with Lord Shiva as its presiding deity. Another popular place-Gaurikund is the shrine of Goddess Parvati (Wife of Lord Shiva). This place has several hot water springs. Other attractions are Guptkashi, Sonprayag, Agastyamuni, Madameshwar, Okhimath, Shankracharya Samadhi etc.
Rudraprayag offers numerous options adventure lovers as well providing trekking and mountaineering facilities for thrill lovers. Best time to visit the place is from mid-march to mid-June or during the months of Sep-Nov. The weather is really pleasant and salubrious during these months. The temperature ranges from 15-25 degree Celsius during the summers while during winters, it reduces to even freezing point at night; although it's sunny during the daytime.
Rudraprayag being blessed with idyllic air of mysticism and postcard-picture beauty makes a perfect holiday retreat.