Gauri Kund, Uttarakhand

Address

Gauri Kund, Uttarakhand, India-246471

Deity

Anekatangavathnathar Amman: Manonmani, Gowri

Introduction

Gauri Kund is a revered Hindu pilgrimage site and the base camp for the trek to Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand, India. Located at an altitude of 6,502 feet above sea level in the Garhwal Himalayas, it holds immense spiritual significance. The site is deeply associated with Goddess Parvati (Gauri) and is home to sacred hot springs, which have been converted into bathing areas for pilgrims.

Additionally, Anekadhangavadeswarar is a deity revered in the 7th-century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, composed by the Nayanars (Tamil saint poets). It is classified as a Paadal Petra Sthalam, one of the 276 temples celebrated in the Tevaram hymns

Puranic Significance

1. Parvati’s Penance for Lord Shiva

According to Hindu mythology, Gauri Kund is where Goddess Parvati undertook intense penance involving ascetic and yogic practices to win Lord Shiva’s love. After years of devotion and meditation, Shiva finally accepted Her love, and they were married at Triyugi Narayan, a site located nearby.

2. The Birth of Lord Ganesha

Gauri Kund is also linked to the legend of how Lord Ganesha acquired His elephant head:

• While bathing in the kund (sacred water pool), Goddess Parvati created a child from the soap suds on Her body, breathed life into Him, and assigned Him to guard the entrance.
• When Lord Shiva arrived and was stopped by Ganesha, He became furious and severed the boy’s head.
• Parvati, overcome with grief, demanded that Ganesha be brought back to life.
• To pacify Her, Shiva replaced the boy’s head with that of a wandering elephant, thus giving rise to the form of Ganesha, revered as the Remover of Obstacles in Hinduism.

3. Historical Inscriptions

• The temple at Gauri Kund contains several historical inscriptions.
• One inscription mentions the story of a Devadasi’s son, who vowed to sacrifice his life if the temple was not completed.

Beliefs

The hot water spring of Gaurikund is one of the holiest sites for Hindus, who come to take a dip in it. It is believed that taking a dip in the holy water of the pond will make a person pure.

Special Features

The hot water spring of Gaurikund is one of the holiest sites for Hindus. Tirugnana Sambandar, a 7th-century Tamil Saivite poet, venerated the deity in one verses in Tevaram, compiled as the First Tirumurai. He is believed to have rendered the verse while he visited the Kalahast temple. As the temple is revered in Tevaram, it is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam, one of the 276 temples that find mention in the Saiva canon. There is a temple in Kanchipuram, the Anekadhangavadeswarar temple carrying the same name

Festivals

Mahashivrathri

Century/Period/Age

1000-2000 years

Managed By

Government of Uttarakhand

Nearest Bus Station

Rishikesh

Nearest Railway Station

Rishikesh

Nearest Airport

Dehradun

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