Panch Kedar
पञ्च केदार
Five Himalayan Shiva temples — where parts of Lord Shiva manifested when fleeing the Pandavas.
Per the Mahabharata, when the Pandavas sought Lord Shiva for absolution after the Kurukshetra war, He fled and assumed the form of a bull. The Pandavas chased Him — and parts of the bull (hump at Kedarnath, navel/middle at Madhyamaheshwar, arms at Tungnath, face at Rudranath, hair at Kalpeshwar) manifested at five sites in the Garhwal Himalayas. The Panch Kedar circuit visits all five, completing the trek-heavy 18-25 day yatra through 14,000+ ft passes. Tungnath at 12,073 ft is the highest Shiva temple in the world. Rudranath requires the toughest trek (24km one-way, 6-7 days round trip). Kalpeshwar is the only one open year-round; rest close Nov-April. Only ~5,000 pilgrims complete full Panch Kedar annually due to difficulty — most do Kedarnath + Tungnath as a starter combo.
Stops in this circuit
- 1
Kedarnath (Hump)
May-OctLord Shiva — Jyotirlinga · Uttarakhand
- 2
Tungnath (Arms)
May-OctLord Shiva — highest temple · Uttarakhand
- 3
Rudranath (Face)
May-OctLord Shiva · Uttarakhand
- 4
Madhyamaheshwar (Middle)
May-OctLord Shiva · Uttarakhand
- 5
Kalpeshwar (Hair)
Year-roundLord Shiva · Uttarakhand
Spiritual significance
Completing Panch Kedar absolves the karma of war and violence, per the Pandava mythology.
Practical tips
- ✓Tungnath: 4km trek from Chopta — combine with Chandrashila peak sunrise
- ✓Rudranath trek (24km) requires 4-day round-trip — book Garhwal Mandal hut
- ✓Only attempt after acclimatizing 1-2 days at 8,000+ ft
- ✓Carry trekking poles + sturdy waterproof boots
- ✓Hire local porter (₹800-1200/day) for camping gear
Ready to plan your Panch Kedar?
Get a customized itinerary from our yatra desk — hotels, transport, and temple coordination handled. Starting ₹45,000.