Rudranath Templeरुद्रनाथ मंदिर

About Rudranath Temple

Rudranath Temple sits at an altitude of roughly 3,600 metres in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, above the town of Gopeshwar. It is a small natural rock shrine surrounded by dwarf rhododendron forest and wide alpine meadows, with views of peaks such as Nanda Devi and Trishul on clear days. Rudranath is the fourth of the Panch Kedar, the five Shiva temples of Garhwal, and here the Lord is worshipped as Neelkanth, in the form of a face. There is no road to the shrine, so every visit involves a long mountain trek.

According to tradition, the Pandavas sought Shiva after the Kurukshetra war to be freed from the sin of killing their kin. Shiva avoided them by taking the form of a bull and sinking into the earth, and parts of his body are said to have appeared at five places: the hump at Kedarnath, the arms at Tungnath, the face at Rudranath, the navel at Madhyamaheshwar and the hair at Kalpeshwar. The Pandavas are believed to have built shrines at all five. Rudranath is open only in the summer months; in winter a symbolic image of the deity is carried in a doli procession to the Gopinath Temple in Gopeshwar, where worship continues until the shrine reopens.

The shrine is built against a large natural rock, with the face of Shiva in the sanctum decorated with flowers and ornaments. Small shrines of the Pandavas and other deities stand nearby, and sacred ponds such as Surya Kund and Chandra Kund lie close to the temple. The trek from Sagar village is about 20 km one way and climbs steeply through oak forest to the meadows of Panar Bugyal, so most pilgrims take two days to reach the temple.

Rudranath Temple timings & aarti

The shrine is usually open from about May to October or November, on dates announced each year. During the season it is usually open from early morning to evening. Times may vary; check locally before visiting.

Timings change on festivals, eclipses and special days. Please confirm locally before you travel.

How to reach Rudranath Temple

Festivals at Rudranath Temple

• Opening of the shrine and doli yatraMay/Jun
• Shravan monthJul/Aug
• Closing and return of the doli to GopeshwarOct/Nov
• Maha Shivaratri (at Gopinath Temple, winter seat)Feb/Mar

Visitor tips

Dress code

Warm, layered trekking clothes and good shoes are essential; modest dress at the shrine.

Entry

No entry fee for darshan. Trekkers may need to register or obtain forest permission at the trailhead; check the current rules before starting.

• This is a hard high-altitude trek; be reasonably fit and allow two days for the climb.
• Hire a local guide or porter and carry rain gear, a torch, snacks and water purification.
• Basic food and shelter are available at a few points on the route; confirm availability before setting out.
• Watch for symptoms of altitude sickness and descend if they worsen.
• Start each day early, as clouds and rain often build up by afternoon.

Places to visit near Rudranath Temple

• Gopinath Temple, GopeshwarWinter seat of Rudranath, about 25 km away including the trek
• Panar BugyalHigh meadow with wide Himalayan views on the trek route, about 10 km away
• Anasuya Devi TempleShrine on the Mandal trek route, about 20 km away on foot
• Tungnath and ChoptaThird Panch Kedar shrine, about 45 km away by road from Gopeshwar

Frequently asked questions