Gaurikund – The Commencement Point for Kedarnath Trek

Gaurikund, a beautiful city of Uttarakhand known for the charming beauty of the greenery accompanied with gushing sound of Vasuki Ganga. The name of this place was given due to the presence of a thermal water spring which got vanished after the disastrous effect of the 2013 flood and one can find the evidence of this truth by finding a small stream of the hot water at the same place where the Kund used to exist. The heritage is under the care of state government and so it is properly maintained. Gaurikund is the place from where the tourists start their trek to Kedarnath Yatra. The Kund holds two other names Lake of Compassion and Parvati Sarovar.

Location

Gauri Kund is situated at an elevation of 1,990 metres above the sea level in the lushy green valleys of Garhwal and is located at a distance of 28 kms from Ukhimath and 6 kms from Sonprayag. It is located in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand which holds several other beautiful places and all of them have a great significance in increasing the beauty of Gaurikund.

History and Legends

The place holds many legends and stories behind the origin of this place and each and every legend gives a great significance and importance to this holy place.

Legend 1– There is a belief that Gaurikund is the only place where Lord Shiva got impressed by Goddess Parvati’s atonement to make him ready for the marriage.  They both got married here and one can find many splendid idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

Legend 2- You can spot a Sirkata Temple near to the Gaurikund which is dedicated to Lord Ganesha and reminds us the incident when Lord Shiva beheaded his own son Lord Ganesha.

Legend 3- There is a spiritual rock which gets worshipped by the devotees who pay their homage to all those 12 sages who accompanied Lord Shiva when he was banished from Lanka.

Nearby Places to Visit:

Guptakashi

Located in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand along the holy river Mandakini. Guptkashi holds a great importance among Hindu pilgrims situated amidst the soul endowing beauty of the flora and the scriptures of the ancient temples. It is the place where the real deity of Lord Shiva was shifted from Varanasi’s Vishwanath Temple to hide it from Aurangzeb’s terror. Vishwanath Temple, Manikarnika Temple and Gaurikund are some major attractions of this place.

Tungnath

The temple whose ambience gives a warm relax to your soul and eyes. There is a belief that the temple is around 1000 years old and was discovered by Adi Shankaracharya. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva where his hands get worshipped. Similar to other pilgrimage Tungnath is also accessible by covering a certain trekking distance. However the trekking is comparatively easy with other treks. The magnificent view from the top of the Chandrashila Peak sooths the soul of the tourists.

Chopta

The most known and the most visited place in Uttarakhand which is a complete package of spirituality and eye catching views of the lush green valleys, mesmerizing waterfalls and the beautiful mountains. It gives an intense pleasure to the tourists by skiing under the starry sky. It is located in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand at an altitude of 2900metres above the sea level.

Rudraprayag

The Garhwali Himalayas, the gushing sound of water flowing into the Alaknanda River gives this small town a great place in the tourist destinations in Uttarakhand. There is a belief that this is the only place where Lord Narad got the blessings of Lord Shiva and presented himself in the Rudra Avatar. Rudraprayag is known as “Abode of Gods” accompanied with ample varieties of flora and fauna. Tourists can learn the Garhwali cultures, customs and festivals.

Gaurikund Temple

The shrine is named after Goddess Gauri (wife of Lord Shiva) and is the place where Goddess Parvati did a deep meditation to get Lord Shiva as her husband. The pilgrimage gives an exhilarating experience to pilgrims due to its scenic beauty which includes Himalayan ranges, lush green valleys and unique architecture of the shrines. Devotees from every nook and corners of the country flock here to pay their homage to Goddess and seek for her blessings.

How to Reach Gaurikund

The places are well connected with the road and the buses and taxis make the journey convenient and the relaxed one.

By Air
Jolly Grant Airport is the nearest Airport located at a distance of 252 km from Gaurikund and from there you can easily get the buses and the taxis.

By Rail
Rishikesh and Haridwar are the two nearest Railway stations and are located at a distance of 212 kms and 232 kms from Gaurikund respectively from where you can easily get cabs to reach Gaurikund.

By Road
Bus is the convenient transportation medium to reach the nearest destination from where you can easily get the cabs for Gaurikund.

Best Time to Visit

Due to its elevated location amidst the mountains, there is no consistency in the weather and the temperature changes gradually due to the sudden change in the climatic condition.

Weather during Summer
The cool and the gentle breeze blowing during the summer season makes tourists feel comfortable and let them enjoy to their fullest. The temperature ranges from 15 degree Celsius to 24 degree Celsius. So March to June is the best time to visit Gaurikund.

Weather during Monsoon
Generally it’s not a preferred time to visit Gaurikund due to heavy rainfalls which usually results into landslides. The road even gets blocked and you may not get the opportunity to visit all the places for which you have planned.

Weather during Winter
This weather is the least preferred one to go on Gaurikund excursion as everyone is not compatible enough to survive in such a harsh climatic condition. The temperature falls between -5 degree Celsius and 16 degree Celsius and even the place receives heavy snowfall.

Accommodation

One can find very few hotels as well as some guesthouses near Gaurikund. The accommodation is pocket-friendly and filled with basic amenities and are proper hygienic.