Madhyamaheshwar Temple

With an enchanting story of its creation, Shri Madhyamaheshwar Temple in Uttarakhand is one of the most fascinating temples in India. Forming a part of the five Panch Kedar Temples that worship Lord Shiva, visiting Madhyamaheshwar Temple is one of the most pious experiences for his devotees. Established by the Pandavas, many centuries ago, its stone architecture tells the tale of a time gone by. Every year, numerous devotees take on the Panch Kedar Yatra to visit the temples of Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath, Madhyamaheshwar, and Kalpeshwar on a pilgrimage tour in this region of the Garhwal Himalayas.

Offering prayers and exploring the temple complex is a way to relax the mind from the stresses of daily life at this religious destination. While at the temple, witnessing the evening aarti is an event that must be experienced. Surrounded by tall mountain ranges, green alpine trees, vast, grassy meadows, while being located on a high altitude, a pilgrimage tour to the temple is equally relaxing for the eyes as it is for the soul. Trekking to the holy abode of Madhyamaheshwar is the best way to explore the region. The trek to the temple easily offers a fine blend of nature and adventure, and is a pilgrimage experience that makes it stand out from the rest.

The Mythological Background of Shri Madhyamaheshwar Temple

Madhyamaheshwar Temple is one of the temples that form the Panch Kedar Temples in Uttarakhand. There is a legendary tale attached to the existence of Madhyamaheshwar, and how, even the Panch Kedar Temples came to be. It was after the war at Kurukshetra that the Pandavas seeked Lord Shiva to repent for the sins that they committed during it. Lord Shiva, still hurt by their actions chose to hide himself from the Pandavas and disguised himself as a bull. Though, after being recognized by the Pandavas he disappeared into the earth and then reappeared at different places. The places where the bull form of Lord Shiva appeared are the site of the temples of Panch Kedar. The site where the navel of the bull was seen is where the Madhyamaheshwar Temple was later built by the Pandavas, making the place a most blessed one.

Religious Significance of Shri Madhyamaheshwar Dham Yatra

An important Shiva Temple located in the Himalayas, Madhyamaheshwar is part of the five Shiva Temples in the region, collectively known as the Panch Kedar. Visiting the temple, therefore, is considered to be one of the most pious experiences for the devotees of Lord Shiva, which is what makes them come over to this temple in Uttarakhand from across the country every year, during which thousands of devotees take up an annual pilgrimage to the state to visit Madhyamaheshwar Temple as part of their Panch Kedar Yatra. During the Yatra, along with visiting the Madhyamaheshwar Temple, devotees also pay obeisance to the other temples in the Panch Kedar circuit as well. These temples are Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath, and Kalpeshwar. Located in the Garhwal Himalayas, Madhyamaheshwar Temple is reached by a laborious but rewarding trek of around 24 kms.

Opening and Closing Dates of Shri Madhyamaheshwar Temple

Being located in the high-altitude regions of the Garhwal Himalayas, Madhyamaheshwar Temple faces harsh temperatures and receives heavy amounts of snowfall throughout the season of winter, making the temple inaccessible for visits, and therefore, remains shut. During this time, the idols of Madhyamaheshwar are moved to the Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath, where they are worshiped until the time when Madhyamaheshwar Temple opens again.

Here are the dates for the opening and closing of the Madhyamaheshwar Temple for this yatra season:

Madhyamaheshwar Temple Opening Date	20 May 2024
Madhyamaheshwar Temple Closing Date	Yet to be announced

How to Reach Madhyamaheshwar Temple?

By Road: Located in the Rudraprayag district, Madhyamaheshwar Temple can be reached with a 24 km trek from the starting point of Ransi Village. Ransi Village can be reached via private cabs from the town of Ukhimath which has a good connectivity of buses from other regions of Uttarakhand such as Rishikesh, Pauri, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Gaurikund, Srinagar, Gopeshwar, and Dehradun.
By Train: The nearest railway station to Madhyamaheshwar Temple is Haridwar Railway Station from where one can take a cab till Ukhimath, lying at a distance of 202 km from the station. From Ukhimath, it is a further trek of 20 km to reach the Ransi Village. The railway station is well connected to other parts of the country and has frequent trains from Delhi, Haridwar, Dehradun, Lucknow, Surat, Kota, Ambala, Amritsar, Patna, Vadodara, Howra, and Jammu.
By Air: The nearest airport to reach Madhyamaheshwar Temple is the domestic airport of Jolly Grant, located at a distance of 193 km away from Ukhimath, and can be reached via cabs. From there, another cab can be taken to reach the Ransi Village, at a further distance of 20 km. The airport is well connected to other parts of the country and offers frequent flights from the cities of Ahmedabad, Delhi, Bangalore, Goa, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Prayagraj, Lucknow, Pune, and Kolkata.

Best Time to Visit Madhyamaheshwar Temple

Since Madhyamaheshwar Temple remains open, except during the winter months, there are only a handful of months to visit the temple. It is advisable to visit the temple during the months of May, June, September and October, as it is the most pleasant time of the year for a visit to the state of Uttarakhand. The state experiences heavy rains and landslides during the months of July and August due to the monsoon and hence it is advisable to avoid traveling to Uttarakhand during this time.

Places to Explore in and around Madhyamaheshwar Temple

The pilgrimage site of Madhyamaheshwar Temple is surely a mesmerizing site but it is not all that the region has to offer. There are some beautiful places that one must explore on a visit to the temple.

Buda Madhmaheshwar

Lying along a nearby trail to the Madhyamaheshwar Temple is the shrine of Buda Madhmaheshwar. Buda Madhmaheshwar is a small shrine and is believed to be an even older shrine than Madhyamaheshwar Temple. From the shrine, the beauty of the vast meadow can be witnessed along with the mesmerizing views of the Himalayan Mountains of Chaukhamba and Mandani, that adorn the region.

Nandi Kund

While on the trek, Nandi Kund is a lake that can be located lying beautifully among the enchanting mountain ranges of the Garhwal Himalayas. The lake is considered to be a sacred one and is named after Nandi, the carrier bull of Lord Shiva. The lake, stretching over an area of more than a kilometer, is also the source of the Madhyamaheshwar Ganga River.