Madhyamaheshwar Temple, Garhwal – The Temple

Madhyamaheshwar Temple, Garhwal – The Temple

The temple is constructed in the north Indian style of architecture. It is situated in a lush meadow, just below a high ridge. The older, so-called 'Vriddh-Madmaheshwar', temple is a tiny blackened shrine on the ridge, which looks straight up at the commanding Chaukhamba peaks. In the current temple, a navel-shaped Shiva-lingam, made of black stone, is enshrined in the sanctum. There are two other smaller shrines, one for Shiva’s consort Parvati and the other dedicated to the Ardhanarishwara, a half-Shiva half-Parvati image. 

Bhima, the second Pandava brother is believed to have built this temple and worshipped Shiva here. To the right of the main temple there is a small temple where the image of Saraswathi, the Hindu goddess of learning, made of marble is installed in the sanctum. Madhyamaheshwar and Rudranath are supposedly toughest pilgrimage site to travel to among the Panch Kedar temples as devotees have to travel 30 Kms and 21 Kms respectively on foot to reach there.

Other than being a religious destination, Madhyamaheshwar is also a well-known trekking destination. It is a paradise for trekkers through the beautiful meadows and mountains. Madhyamaheshwar is mystically covered by the snow-capped Himalayas and lush green alpine meadows and dense forest acts as its backdrop. The region has rich flora and fauna, particularly the endangered species of Himalayan Monal pheasant and Himalayan Musk Deer in the Kedarnath Wild Life Sanctuary.