Triyuginarayan
Encyclopedia
Triyuginarayan Temple is a Hindu
temple located in the Triyuginarayan village in Rudraprayag district
, Uttarakhand
. The ancient temple is dedicated to god Vishnu
. Its fame is credited to the legend of god Shiva
’s marriage to goddess Parvati
witnessed by Vishnu at this venue and is thus a popular pilgrimage centre. A special feature of this temple is a perpetual fire, that burns in front of the temple. The flame is believed to burn from the times of the divine marriage. Thus, the temple is also known as Akhand Dhuni temple.
The temple courtyard is also the source of a water stream, which fills four sacred bathing ponds (kunds) nearby.
and "Narayan
" is another name of Vishnu. Pilgrims have been offering wood to the fire in the havana
-kund (fire place) since the three Yugas - hence the place is given the name “Triyugi Narayan”. Yuga in Hindu philosophy is the name of an epoch or era within a cycle of four ages. The four Yugas are Satya Yuga
(1,728,000 human years), Treta Yuga
(1,296,000 years), the Dvapara Yuga
(864,000 years) and finally Kali Yuga
(432,000 years), which is the present Yuga.
The name "Akhand Dhuni temple" also originates from the eternal flame legend, "Akhand" means perpetual and "Dhuni" means flame.
According to Hindu mythology, goddess Parvati was daughter of Himavat or Himavan - the personification of the Himalayas. She was the rebirth of Sati
, the first wife of Shiva - who sacrificed her life when her father insulted Shiva. Parvati initially tried to allure Shiva by her beauty, but fails. Finally, she won Shiva by practising rigorous penance at Gauri Kund
, which is 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) away from Triyuginarayan. Pilgrims visiting Triyuginaryan temple also visit the Gauri Kund temple, dedicated to Parvati. Mythology states that Shiva proposed to Parvati at Guptakashi (on the road to Kedarnath) before they got married in the small Triyuginarayan village at the confluence of Mandakini
and Sone-Ganga rivers.
Triyuginarayan is believed to be the capital of Himavat. It was the venue of the celestial marriage of Shiva and Parvati, during the Satya Yuga
, witnessed in the presence of the holy fire that still burns eternally in front of the temple in a Havana
-kund or Agni-kund, a four cornered fire place on the ground. Vishnu formalized the wedding and acted as Parvati's brother in the ceremonies, while the creator-god Brahma
acted as the priest of the wedding, that was witnessed by all the sages of the times. The exact location of the wedding is marked by a stone called Brahma Shila, in front of the temple. The greatness of this place is also recorded in a sthala-purana (a scripture specific to a pilgrimage centre). According to the scripture, pilgrims who visit this temple consider the ashes from the burning fire as holy and carry it with them. It is also believed that ashes from this fire are supposed to promote conjugal bliss.
Before the marriage ceremony, the gods are believed to have taken bath in three kunds or small ponds namely, Rudra
-kund, Vishnu-kund and Brahma
-kund. The inflow into the three kunds is from the Saraswati
-kund, which - according to legend - originated from Vishnu's navel. Hence, the water of these kunds is considered to cure infertility. The ashes from Havana-kund are supposed to promote conjugal bliss.
charya. Adi Shankaracharya is credited with building many temples in the Uttarkhand region. The shrine houses a silver, 2 foot image of god Vishnu (Narayana), accompanied with consort - goddess of wealth Lakshmi
and the goddess of music and learning - Saraswati
.
In front of the temple, the havana-kund with the eternal flame - the witness of the wedding of Shiva and Parvati - is situated. Devotees add samidha (sacrificial offerings of wood) to the flame and collect the ashes as blessings. A stone called the Brahma Shila - in front of temple - is regarded as the exact spot of the divine marriage. The ponds of Rudra Kund, Vishnu Kund, Brahma Kund and Saraswati Kund are other holy spots situated near the temple. A water stream called Saraswati Ganga originates in the courtyard of the temple. It fills all the holy ponds in the vicinity.
and other important hill stations of the Garhwal
and Kumaon
Hills. The nearest airport is Dehra Dun, 244 kilometres (151.6 mi) from Triyuginarayan, but it is better to start the journey from Delhi
. Rishikesh is the nearest railway station, 261 kilometres (162.2 mi) from the site.
The Triguninarayan temple is also accessed by trekking. A popular trekking or excursion route followed is from Mussoorie
. The trek route followed from Mussorie, which involves 17 days of trekking, passes through Tehri
, Mala
(road point), Belak, Budakedar-Ghuttu-Panwali Kanta, Triyuginarayan and Kedarnath in that order. Apart from this trekking route, the Department of Tourism, Government of Uttarakhand
, in order to encourage tourism has identified and developed six major circuits, which includes the Rudraprayag–Kedarnath circuit, covering temples at Rudraprayag, Tungnath
, Okhimath, Madhyamaheshwar
, Guptkashi, Triyuginarayan and Kedarnath, along the Mandakini River
valley. This circuit involves a total trekking of 69 kilometres (42.9 mi), in adddtion to road journey.
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
temple located in the Triyuginarayan village in Rudraprayag district
Rudraprayag District
Rudraprayag district, is a district of Uttarakhand state of northern India. The district occupies an area of 2439 km². Rudraprayag town is the administrative headquarters of the district....
, Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
. The ancient temple is dedicated to god Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
. Its fame is credited to the legend of god Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
’s marriage to goddess Parvati
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
witnessed by Vishnu at this venue and is thus a popular pilgrimage centre. A special feature of this temple is a perpetual fire, that burns in front of the temple. The flame is believed to burn from the times of the divine marriage. Thus, the temple is also known as Akhand Dhuni temple.
The temple courtyard is also the source of a water stream, which fills four sacred bathing ponds (kunds) nearby.
Etymology
The word "Triyugi Narayan" is formed of three words "tri" means three, "yugi" denotes the period of time - YugaYuga
Yuga in Hindu philosophy is the name of an 'epoch' or 'era' within a cycle of four ages. These are the Satya Yuga, the Treta Yuga, the Dvapara Yuga, and finally the Kali Yuga. According to Hindu cosmology, life in the universe is created, destroyed once every 4.1 to 8.2 billion years, which is...
and "Narayan
Narayan
Narayan may refer to:*Narayana, an Indian name, an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu*Narayanan, an Indian name*Narain, an Indian name- People :*Aditya Narayan, Indian television show host*Anand Narayan, Indian television personality...
" is another name of Vishnu. Pilgrims have been offering wood to the fire in the havana
Yajna
In Hinduism, yajna is a ritual of sacrifice derived from the practice of Vedic times. It is performed to please the gods or to attain certain wishes...
-kund (fire place) since the three Yugas - hence the place is given the name “Triyugi Narayan”. Yuga in Hindu philosophy is the name of an epoch or era within a cycle of four ages. The four Yugas are Satya Yuga
Satya Yuga
The Satya Yuga , also called Sat Yuga, Krta Yuga and Krita Yuga in Hinduism, is the "Yuga of Truth", when mankind is governed by gods, and every manifestation or work is close to the purest ideal and mankind will allow intrinsic goodness to rule supreme...
(1,728,000 human years), Treta Yuga
Treta Yuga
Treta Yuga is the second out of four yugas, or ages of mankind, in the religion of Hinduism, and follows the Satya Yuga of perfect morality and precedes the Dvapara Yuga. The most famous events in this yuga were Lord Vishnu's fifth, sixth and seventh incarnations as Vamana, Parashurama and...
(1,296,000 years), the Dvapara Yuga
Dvapara Yuga
Dvapara Yuga or Dwapara Yuga is the third out of four yugas, or ages, described in the scriptures of Hinduism. This yuga comes after Treta Yuga and is followed by Kali Yuga...
(864,000 years) and finally Kali Yuga
Kali Yuga
Kali Yuga is the last of the four stages that the world goes through as part of the cycle of yugas described in the Indian scriptures. The other ages are Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga and Dvapara Yuga...
(432,000 years), which is the present Yuga.
The name "Akhand Dhuni temple" also originates from the eternal flame legend, "Akhand" means perpetual and "Dhuni" means flame.
Legend
Dakshayani
Dākshāyani or Satī is a Hindu Goddess of marital felicity and longevity. She is worshipped particularly by Hindu women to seek the long life of their husbands...
, the first wife of Shiva - who sacrificed her life when her father insulted Shiva. Parvati initially tried to allure Shiva by her beauty, but fails. Finally, she won Shiva by practising rigorous penance at Gauri Kund
Gauri Kund
Gauri Kund is an important Hindu pilgrimage site on the way to Kedarnath, which is another nine miles uphill from there. It is situated at an altitude of more than 6000 feet in the Garhwal Himalayas. Kedarnath is one of the most sacred sites in Hinduism and it is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is...
, which is 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) away from Triyuginarayan. Pilgrims visiting Triyuginaryan temple also visit the Gauri Kund temple, dedicated to Parvati. Mythology states that Shiva proposed to Parvati at Guptakashi (on the road to Kedarnath) before they got married in the small Triyuginarayan village at the confluence of Mandakini
Mandakini River
Mandakini is a tributary of the Alaknanda River. Mandakini originates from the Charabari Glacier near Kedarnath in Uttarakhand, India. Mandakini is fed by Vasukiganga River at Sonprayag. Mandakini joins Alaknanda at Rudraprayag...
and Sone-Ganga rivers.
Triyuginarayan is believed to be the capital of Himavat. It was the venue of the celestial marriage of Shiva and Parvati, during the Satya Yuga
Satya Yuga
The Satya Yuga , also called Sat Yuga, Krta Yuga and Krita Yuga in Hinduism, is the "Yuga of Truth", when mankind is governed by gods, and every manifestation or work is close to the purest ideal and mankind will allow intrinsic goodness to rule supreme...
, witnessed in the presence of the holy fire that still burns eternally in front of the temple in a Havana
Yajna
In Hinduism, yajna is a ritual of sacrifice derived from the practice of Vedic times. It is performed to please the gods or to attain certain wishes...
-kund or Agni-kund, a four cornered fire place on the ground. Vishnu formalized the wedding and acted as Parvati's brother in the ceremonies, while the creator-god Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
acted as the priest of the wedding, that was witnessed by all the sages of the times. The exact location of the wedding is marked by a stone called Brahma Shila, in front of the temple. The greatness of this place is also recorded in a sthala-purana (a scripture specific to a pilgrimage centre). According to the scripture, pilgrims who visit this temple consider the ashes from the burning fire as holy and carry it with them. It is also believed that ashes from this fire are supposed to promote conjugal bliss.
Before the marriage ceremony, the gods are believed to have taken bath in three kunds or small ponds namely, Rudra
Rudra
' is a Rigvedic God, associated with wind or storm, and the hunt. The name has been translated as "The Roarer", or "The Howler"....
-kund, Vishnu-kund and Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
-kund. The inflow into the three kunds is from the Saraswati
Saraswati
In Hinduism Saraswati , is the goddess of knowledge, music, arts, science and technology. She is the consort of Brahma, also revered as His Shakti....
-kund, which - according to legend - originated from Vishnu's navel. Hence, the water of these kunds is considered to cure infertility. The ashes from Havana-kund are supposed to promote conjugal bliss.
Structure
The Triyuginarayan temple resembles the temple of Kedarnath in architectural style and hence attracts a lot of devotees. The present shrine is also called as Akhand Dhuni temple. It is believed to have been built by Adi ShankaraAdi Shankara
Adi Shankara Adi Shankara Adi Shankara (IAST: pronounced , (Sanskrit: , ) (788 CE - 820 CE), also known as ' and ' was an Indian philosopher from Kalady of present day Kerala who consolidated the doctrine of advaita vedānta...
charya. Adi Shankaracharya is credited with building many temples in the Uttarkhand region. The shrine houses a silver, 2 foot image of god Vishnu (Narayana), accompanied with consort - goddess of wealth Lakshmi
Lakshmi
Lakshmi or Lakumi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity , light, wisdom, fortune, fertility, generosity and courage; and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm. Representations of Lakshmi are also found in Jain monuments...
and the goddess of music and learning - Saraswati
Saraswati
In Hinduism Saraswati , is the goddess of knowledge, music, arts, science and technology. She is the consort of Brahma, also revered as His Shakti....
.
In front of the temple, the havana-kund with the eternal flame - the witness of the wedding of Shiva and Parvati - is situated. Devotees add samidha (sacrificial offerings of wood) to the flame and collect the ashes as blessings. A stone called the Brahma Shila - in front of temple - is regarded as the exact spot of the divine marriage. The ponds of Rudra Kund, Vishnu Kund, Brahma Kund and Saraswati Kund are other holy spots situated near the temple. A water stream called Saraswati Ganga originates in the courtyard of the temple. It fills all the holy ponds in the vicinity.
Geography
The Triguninarayan village is located at an altitude of 1980 metres (6,496.1 ft) about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) away from Sonprayag, the confluence of Mandakini and Songanga rivers. The geographical belt is 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) away from Sonprayag that extends to 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) between Triyugninarayan and Toshi villages with an average altitude of 2200 metres (7,217.8 ft) that has favourable agro-climatic conditions for growing horticultural crops such as apple and stone fruits. During the three winter months, the area is covered by snow.Access
Access to the Triyuginarayan village where the temple is located is about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from Sonprayag on motorable road till the temple. There exist a few trek routes too, like a short trek of 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) via Sonprayag on the Ghuttur –Kedarnath bridle path that passes through thick forest area is involved to reach the temple precincts. From Kedarnath, which is to the south of this temple the total trekking distance is about 25 kilometres (15.5 mi). Ghuttur is around 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from Sonprayag, which is connected by road with HaridwarHaridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
and other important hill stations of the Garhwal
Garhwal Division
Garhwal is the north-western region and administrative division of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand which is home to the Garhwali people. Lying in the Himalayas, It is bounded on the north by Tibet, on the east by Kumaon region, on the south by Uttar Pradesh state, and on the north-west by...
and Kumaon
Kumaon Division
For Kumaoni/Kumauni People see Kumauni PeopleKumaon or Kumaun is one of the two regions and administrative divisions of Uttarakhand, a mountainous state of northern India, the other being Garhwal. It includes the districts of Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar...
Hills. The nearest airport is Dehra Dun, 244 kilometres (151.6 mi) from Triyuginarayan, but it is better to start the journey from Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. Rishikesh is the nearest railway station, 261 kilometres (162.2 mi) from the site.
The Triguninarayan temple is also accessed by trekking. A popular trekking or excursion route followed is from Mussoorie
Mussoorie
Mussoorie is a city and a municipal board in the Dehradun District of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is located about 35 km from the state capital of Dehradun and 290 km north from the national capital of New Delhi...
. The trek route followed from Mussorie, which involves 17 days of trekking, passes through Tehri
Tehri
Tehri is a city and a municipal board in Tehri Garhwal District in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the administrative seat of Tehri Garhwal District.-History:...
, Mala
Mala
Mala may refer to:Geography* Kingdom of Cheras, South India* Mala, Kerala, a village in southern India* Malå Municipality, in northern Sweden* Mala, Nepal, a village and Village Development Committee* Mała, Poland, a village...
(road point), Belak, Budakedar-Ghuttu-Panwali Kanta, Triyuginarayan and Kedarnath in that order. Apart from this trekking route, the Department of Tourism, Government of Uttarakhand
Government of Uttarakhand
The Government of Uttarakhand also known as the State Government of Uttarakhand, or locally as State Government, is the supreme governing authority of the Indian state of Uttarakhand and its 13 districts...
, in order to encourage tourism has identified and developed six major circuits, which includes the Rudraprayag–Kedarnath circuit, covering temples at Rudraprayag, Tungnath
Tungnath
Tungnath is the highest temple in the world and is one of the five and the highest Panch Kedar temples located in the mountain range of Tunganath in the Rudraprayag district of Tehri Garhwal, in Uttarakhand, India. The Tunganath mountains form the Mandakini and Alaknanda river valleys...
, Okhimath, Madhyamaheshwar
Madhyamaheshwar
Madhyamaheshwar or Madmaheshwar is a Hindu temple dedicated to god Shiva, located in the Mansuna village of Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand, India. Situated at an elevation of , it is the fourth temple to be visited in the Panch Kedar pilgrimage circuit, comprising five Shiva temples in the...
, Guptkashi, Triyuginarayan and Kedarnath, along the Mandakini River
Mandakini River
Mandakini is a tributary of the Alaknanda River. Mandakini originates from the Charabari Glacier near Kedarnath in Uttarakhand, India. Mandakini is fed by Vasukiganga River at Sonprayag. Mandakini joins Alaknanda at Rudraprayag...
valley. This circuit involves a total trekking of 69 kilometres (42.9 mi), in adddtion to road journey.