Uttarakhand, referred to as “Devbhoomi”, is a place of tremendous spiritual significance. It has been a destination for people of various backgrounds and religions since ancient times. Pandukeshwaris one of the most sacred and should not be missed while visiting the renowned Badrinath Temple. When in Badrinath, visitors often take a moment to honour the two temples situated there.
pandukeshwar
Pandukeshwar is a religious village located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, at a height of 6300 feet. It lies between Joshimath and Badrinath, 22 km away from Badrinath and 21 km away from Joshimath. It is a popular pilgrimage spot and is found on the path to Badrinath. Pandukeshwar, as per belief is the place where King Pandu, father of great Pandavas of the Mahabharat epic, worshipped Lord Shiva.
map showing pandukeshwar
History of Pandukeshwar :
Pandukeshwar is renowned for its ancient stories. One of the more famous ones is King Pandu’s effort to repent for his crime of murdering sages by engaging in significant penance in this location. This is mentioned in the Mahabharata. The powerful ruler is said to have stayed in Pandukeshwar with his spouses Madri and Kunti after resigning from his older brother Dhritarashtra’s throne.
Legend has said that Pandukeshwar was founded by King Pandu, the father of the well-known Pandavas in the Mahabharata epic. After handing over his throne to his elder brother Dhritharashtra, Pandu moved there with his wives Kunti and Madri. One day, while out hunting, he unintentionally killed a sage who had taken on the form of a deer. As the sage was dying, he cursed Pandu, saying that he would die instantly if he ever made love to anyone.
To absolve himself from the sin of killing the sage, King Pandu set off on a journey to Yogdhyan Badri to seek redemption through meditation. Whilst there, he also put a bronze figure of Lord Vishnu. During this time, Kunti gave birth to the Pandavas with the help of Yogdhyan Badri. Later, King Pandu became captivated by Madri while she was taking a bath in the Alaknanda River and sadly, he expired due to the curse of the sage.
Two famous Temple at Pandukeshwar:
Pandukeshwar is home to two famous temples: Yogadhyan Badri (one of Sapta Badri shrines)and Lord Vasudev.
yogadhyan Badri and Vasudev templeyogabadri temple details
It is said that Pandu installed the bronze image of Vishnu ji in the Yogadhyan Badri Shrines. Ancient copper plate inscriptions indicate the region of Katyuri Rajas, now known as Uttarakhand, was once called Panchal Desh.
yogadhyan Badri
The idol of Lord Vishnu in Yogadhyan Badri has been sculpted from Shaligram stone and is life-sized, depicting him in a pose of meditation. According to legend, the Pandavas, after defeating and killing their cousins Kauravas in the Mahabharata war, handed over Hastinapur Rajya to King Parikshit and retired here. Yogadhyan Badri Temple is the home for Utsava murti in winter when Badrinath is closed. The holy procession for the opening of the temple starts from here.
Lord Vasudev Temple was believed to have been built by Pandavas. They also put idols of Lord Vishnu, Goddess Laxmi and Madri. During the 12 years of exile, Pandavas visited Pandukeshwar and performed the funeral of their father Pandu. Here, Arjun also meditated during the exile period and got a blessing from Indra.
Vishnu ji
Best time to visit Pandukeshwar:
Pandukeshwar is open all year. The ideal time to visit Pandukeshwar is from April to June and September to November.
How to reach Pandukeshwar :
Pandukeshwar is located midway between Joshimath and Badrinath. From Joshimath, it is 18.5km, and from Badrinath, it is 22.2km. The place can be reached by sharing a jeep, taxi or own car.
Nearest railway station to Joshimath: Dehradun railway station (303.1km) or Rishikesh railway station (263.8km)
Nearest airport: Dehradun Jolly Grant Airport (280km), the only airport nearest to Joshimath.
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