Guptkashi

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India /Uttarakhand /Rudraprayag /Goa

Guptkashi is situated 47kms before the holiest shrine of Lord Shiva, Kedarnath. It is located on the route to Kedarnath on a ridge on the west side of the Mandakini river valley at an elevation of 1,319mts above sea level. Guptkashi is a religiously important town of Uttarakhand as it houses ancient temples like Vishwanath temple and Ardhnareshwar temple. The centermost attraction of Guptkashi town, Manikarnik Kund is a place where two streams of the Ganga and Yamuna meet. Gaurikund, the town from where trek to Kedarnath commences is situated 34kms ahead of Guptkashi. Guptkashi is situated on the mountain facing Ukhimath town. The name Guptkashi means ‘Hidden Benares’ and the town’s mythological history is associated with the epic Mahabharata. When the Pandavas were searching for a glimpse of Shiva, Shiva first concealed himself in Gupt Kashi but later fled from them further up the valley to Kedarnath. The hereditary pilgrimage priests of Kedarnath temple live in Guptkashi. The main temple of Guptkashi is dedicated to Lord Shiva as Vishwanath – “Lord of the Universe”. It is built by regional stones and is situated in an enclosed courtyard. The small temple to its left is Ardhanarishvara.

Kedarnath Temple, Guptkashi

Kedarnath Temple, Guptkashi

Quick Facts-Edit

Category : Pilgrim

Time Zone: UTC + 5:30 Hours

Pincode: 246439

STD Code: 1364

Info Website:

Best Time to Visit:  October-March

HistoryEdit

Guptkashi has a great importance quite like that of Kashi. The ancient Vishwanath temple, Ardhnareshwar temple and Manikarnik Kund, where the two streams of Ganga and Yamuna are believed to meet, are the main places of attraction in Guptkashi. It is believed that after the battle of Mahabharata, the Pandavas wanted to meet Lord Shiva and seek his blessing. But Lord Shiva evaded from Guptkasi to Kedarnath as he did not want to meet the Pandavas, the reason being that although they had fought for the right cause, they were also responsible for destroying their own dynasty. Guptkashi is situated at an elevation of 1319 mts. The one Stupa is situated in Nala which is quite close to Ukhimath. Some local people call it the grave of Rana Nal.

Places to VisitAdd

How to ReachEdit


By Air : Jolly Grant Airport is the nearest Airport to Guptkashi situated at a distance of 190kms. Jolly Grant Airport is a domestic airport well connected to Delhi with daily flights. Guptkashi is well connected by motorable roads with Jolly Grant Airport. Taxis are available from Jolly Grant Airport to Guptkashi.

By Train : The nearest railway station to Gaurikund is Rishikesh. Rishikesh railway station is situated 168kms before Guptkashi on NH58. Rishikesh is well connected by railway networks with major destinations of India. Trains to Rishikesh are frequent. Guptkashi is well connected by motorable roads with Rishikesh. Taxis and buses are easily available from Rishikesh to Guptkashi.

By BUS : Guptkashi is well connected by motorable roads with major destinations of Uttarakhand state. Buses to Rishikesh and Srinagar are available from ISBT Kashmiri Gate. Buses and Taxis to Guptkashi are easily available from all major destinations of Uttarakhand like Dehradun, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Pauri, Tehri, Uttarkashi, Srinagar, Chamoli etc.

By Taxi : Guptkashi is well connected by a road network and national Highway 109. The tourist can reach to Guptkashi by taxi. The normal Indian taxi charges of Rupees 8 to 20 will be charged for each km.

By Other : N.A.

Top HotelsAdd

Top RestaurantsAdd

Budget  – Up to Rs. 800
  • Hotel Raj Palace ; Kedarnath Rd, Devidhar, Uttarakhand 246439. ; Ph – N.A. ; Facilities – Parking, Doctor on call, Travel Desk, 24-hour front desk, 24-hour room service, Air conditioning, Laundry, Parking.
Economy – Up to Rs. 801 to Rs. 1200
  • Mrityunjaya Palace ; Dakshin kali marg, Kalindi vihar, NH-109, Guptakashi, Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand 246439. ; Ph – 01364 267 488 ; Facilities – Non-smoking rooms, Dry cleaning/laundry, Travel Desk, 24-hour front desk, 24-hour room service, Air conditioning, Laundry.
Deluxe – Up to Rs. 801 to Rs. 1200
  • Kedar Camp Resorts ; Jakhdhar Road, Village Rudrapur, Guptakashi, Uttarakhand 246439. ; Ph – 097 19 000707 ; Facilities – Travel Desk, 24-hour front desk, 24-hour room service, Air conditioning, Conference facilities, Elevators, Laundry, Parking.
Luxury – Rs. 2501 and above
  • Camp Nirvana Guptkashi ; Jakhdhar Road, Village Rudrapur, Guptakashi, Uttarakhand 246439. ; Ph – 097 19 000707 ; Facilities – Non-smoking rooms, Travel Desk, 24-hour room service, Free airport shuttle, Laundry, Wheel chair access.

Must Eat FoodAdd

Must Do ActivitiesAdd

Must ShopAdd

Nightlife (Pub / Disc / BAR)Add

SpaAd 

FestivalAdd


Ramnavami ; Venue:  N.A. ; Period :  March ; Details:  Ram Navami is a major Hindu festival celebrated in Guptakashi and all parts of the country. The festival is marked with the birthday of Lord Rama and is celebrated in the Hindi month of Chaitra.
Nag Panchami ; Venue:  N.A. ; Period :  N.A. ; Details:  Nag Panchami is very nicely celebrated festival of Guptakashi. It is a festival which occurs on the fifth day of the bright half of Savanna and begins with a fast.
Diwali ; Venue:  N.A. ; Period :  N.A. ; Details:  One of the most important festivals of Hindus, Diwali, is also well known by the name of “Festival of Lights” or Deepavali. It is celebrated in the month of October or November. Diwali in Guptakashi is celebrated with pomp and show. Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped on this festival.

Safety / WarningEdit

  • Beware of pickpockets as Guptkashi is a major tourist city in India.

HelplineEdit

  • Ambulance : 102
  • Fire Brigade : 101
  • Police : 100

ItineraryEdit

N.A.

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