Built in - 7-8th Century
Built by - Katyuri Kings
Diety - Lord Shiva
Location - 02 kms from Gopeshwar
Timings - 05:00 A.M. to 06:00 P.M.
Gopeshwar is located at a height of 1300 metres above sea level in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. According to some people and the locals, the name Gopeshwar is linked with Lord Krishna. It is believed that, once Lord Shiva was impressed by the tune of the flute of Lord Krishna, who was playing at a maharaas (a music and dance event) in Vrindavan. The gatekeeper stopped the lord from entering, saying that only one man – Lord Krishna – was allowed in the maharaas, which was attended by only gopis (female devotees of the lord). Wanting to see Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva transformed into a gopi and entered the maharaas. Lord Krishna identified Lord Shiva and welcomed him by calling him ‘Maharaj Gopeshwar’.
It is one of the most important religious and tourism based towns in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. Apart from being a vital pilgrimage site, this tourism place in Uttarakhand is ideal for education and is a significant base for visiting various religious sites and naturally beautiful destinations in the state. The main attraction of Gopeshwar is an ancient temple of Lord Shiva. Hundreds and thousands of devotees come here to seek blessings and offer prayers to the Lord. Gopeshwar is surrounded by four Uttarakhand famous temples of Tunganath, Anusuya Devi, Rudranath and Badrinath.
A much-revered shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Gopinath temple in Gopeshwar is said to have been commissioned by king Saggar. Although the exact dates of construction are not known, it is estimated to have been built sometime between the 9th and 11th centuries. The inscriptions present on the divine trident placed in the temple dates back to the 12 century. The Gopinath Temple is the home of Rudranath, one amongst the Panch Kedar temples. The Shivalinga here is worshipped as Ekanan (face of Lord Shiva) in his Mridh Roop (avatar of Lord Vishnu). Architecture of Gopinath temple resembles that of other Shiva temples in Uttarakhand such as Kedarnath and Tungnath.
The temple architecture consists of a large central dome which constitutes the sanctum sanctorum. Swayambhu Shivling, which is known as Gopinath, is placed inside the sanctorum and has 24 doors. The famous Shiva Trident which is 5m long is placed inside the temple’s courtyard. One can also find partially damaged idols in the temple premises. The main temple is constructed in Nagra Pattern. The construction of this temple made of gorgeous Shilas and the nature of architecture attracts everyone. There are many small-big Shivling present in the temple premises. In the premises of the temple, there are also temples of Mata Durga, Shri Ganesh and Shri Hanuman Ji.
There is a legend associated with the trident (Lord Shiva’s weapon) in the temple compound. As per mythology, it is the same trident that Lord Shiva is said to have thrown at Lord Kamadeva (the God of love) when the latter tried to disrupt Lord Shiva’s meditation. The trident, which is a nationally-protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India, is fixed to a spot and the local residents believe that it can only be moved by a true devotee.
This is the only temple of Lord Shiva where water and milk are not offered to the Shivling.
According to the legend, the trident in the temple courtyard belongs to Lord Shiva. Another legend says that, after the death of Goddess Sati and the killing of a demon named Tadaka Sur, has a connection with the place. When Goddess Sati sacrificed her body, Shiva sat in meditation posture at this place. On the other hand, because of the terror of Tadka Sur, Indra left the heaven and Tadaka Sur fought on all three sides. Tadaka Sur had a boon that only Shiva’s son could kill him.
This is the reason that the gods asked Brahma for a remedy for this, and Brahma dev sent Kamdev to disturb Shiva’s penance. When Shiva’s penance was broken because of Kamdev’s arrows, he became very angry and he killed him with his trident. Shiva hurled his trident in order to kill Kamadeva (God of Love) when the latter tried to disrupt Lord Shiva’s meditation. The trident got fixed in that spot and has been there ever since. It is believed that only a slightest touch of a true devotee can shake the trident which otherwise remains unmoved even with brute force. Another belief is that when Lord Shiva turned Kamadeva into ashes, his wife Rati did penance at Gopeshwar. Pleased with her devotion, Lord Shiva assured her that her husband would come back to life.
According to a popular local lore, there once lived a cow here who would offer milk to a Shivalinga (a representation of Lord Shiva) everyday. Seeing this, the king decided to erect a shrine for the lord at the spot and that was how the Gopinath temple came to be.
Gopeshwar is known for its pleasant weather. However, summer and winter are considered the ideal seasons to visit the place with pilgrims mostly thronging in the summer and monsoon months.
Summer
The weather during the season of summer remains pleasant. April to June are the months of summer in Gopeshwar and the temperature during this time of the year ranges from 15°C to 30°C. This is the peak season for tourists and pilgrims to visit the place.
Monsoon
Monsoon in Gopeshwar begins in the month of July and ends in September. The temperature during these months varies between 15°C and 25°C and the place receives heavy rainfall. This is why it is advised to check the weather forecast before planning a trip here in monsoon.
Winter
Temperature of Gopeshwar during the winter season might drop down to 2°C while the maximum temperature during this time of the year is 13°C. Moreover, the winters in Gopeshwar start in the month of October and last until March. This is another season which is considered ideal for tourists.
To reach Gopeshwar the nearest Railway station is Rishikesh while the nearest airport is Jolly Grant in Dehradun. Gopeshwar is also well connected to Almora , Rishikesh, and Dehradun by road.
By Flight
Jolly Grant Airport is the nearest to Gopeshwar and is situated at a distance of about 225 km. Jolly Grant Airport is well connected to Delhi with daily flights. Gopeshwar is well connected by motorable roads with Jolly Grant Airport.
By Train
The nearest railway station to Gopeshwar is Rishikesh (about 205 km away). Rishikesh is well connected by railway networks with major destinations of India. Trains to Rishikesh are frequent. Gopeshwar is well connected by motorable roads with Rishikesh. Taxis and buses are available from Rishikesh, Srinagar, Rudraprayag and many other destinations to Gopeshwar.
By Road
Gopeshwar is well connected by motorable roads with major destinations of Uttarakhand. Buses to Rishikesh are available from Delhi. Buses and taxis to Gopeshwar are easily available from major destinations of Uttarakhand like Rishikesh, Pauri, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Ukhimath, Srinagar, Joshimath etc. Gopeshwar is situated on the road connecting NH119 and NH58.
Also known as Mahishasur Mardini, the temple is considered as one of the eight Siddh Peethas. This is the place where Chandrika Devi killed Mahishasur, hence it is known as the Mahishasur Mardini Temple.
One of the important places to visit, the temple is located at a distance of 14 km from the town. Moreover, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Sati and is one of the famous pilgrim attractions in the district of Chamoli.
Another pilgrim attraction, the Chamola Nath Temple is situated near the Block Development of Chamoli district. There is a belief that the district is named after the name of Devta Chamolanath.
The village is located around 5 km from Gopeshwar and is one of the important tourist destinations because it’s the starting point of Rudranath Trek. This trek is the toughest amongst the Panch Kedar.
Interesting Places Around Gopeshwar
This temple is famous for a variety of reasons:
Among the countless religious sites and circuits that devotees visit in Uttarakhand, one of the most prominent is the Char Dham Yatra. This Yatra or pilgrimage is a tour of four holy sites – Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath – nestled high up in the Himalayas. The Yamunotri temple, lodged in a narrow gorge close to the source of River Yamuna (the second-most sacred Indian river after River Ganga) in Uttarkashi district, is dedicated to Goddess Yamuna. The district of Uttarkashi is also home to Gangotri dedicated to Goddess Ganga, the most sacred of all Indian rivers. Located in the Rudraprayag district lies Kedarnath, dedicated to Lord Shiva. Badrinath, home to the sacred Badrinarayan Temple, is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
Baba Rudranath is also worshipped in the same temple in winters. In Uttarakhand, during the pilgrimage to Chardham, Gopi Nath situated in Gopeshwar is also visited. This temple is open throughout the year, due to which devotees always visit this temple.
Gopeshwar is also visited by pilgrims on their way to Badrinath. Here, tourists can shop for local hand-made pickles, jams, craft and decorative objects, and handloom products.
All the road trip enthusiasts can opt to travel to Gopeshwar either via inter-state tourist buses or may choose to self-drive. Both the options are comfortable and economical if you are arriving from nearby cities.
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