Triyuginarayan

Triyuginarayan rudraprayag

‘A Small Village housing Lord Vishnu’s Temple’

Triyuginarayan temple sits calmly in Rudraprayag district. The word Triyuginarayan originates from ‘Tri’ meaning three, ‘Yugi’ denoting Yuga. And ‘Narayan’ is another name of Vishnu. It is a small town near the confluence of Mandakini and Sone-Ganga rivers.

The ancient Triyuginarayan temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu “The Preserver”. The temple sits at 1,980 metres above from the sea level. Here the marriage ceremony of Lord Shiva and Parvati was solemnized by Lord Vishnu.

Triyuginarayan Temple or the Akhand Dhuni Temple:

Triyuginarayan Temple is also popular as “Akhand Dhuni temple” because of the presence of the eternal flame. One of the interesting sights is the perpetual fire that blazes in front of the temple.

Devotees believe that the flame is burning from the time of Lord Shiva and Parvati’s union. Therefore, devotees call it Akhand Dhuni temple. A stone called “Brahma Shila” in front of the temple marks the location of the temple.

Architecture:

  • The architecture of the temple gets its inspiration from Badrinath temple as Adi Shankaracharya built both the temples.
  • The sanctum houses a 2 feet silver idol of Lord Vishnu which accompanies his consort Lakshmi.
  • The idols of Badrinarayan, Sita Ramachandra, and Kubera also make the temple holier. An idol of Shiva and Parvati blessing devotees in newlywed form is present near the perpetual fire.
  • Just outside, there is a Shaligram Shila of Lord Vishnu in resting posture alongside Goddess Lakshmi and Ganesha.
  • The devotees can also see the four sacred ponds namely
    • Rudra Kund
    • Vishnu Kund
    • Brahma Kund
    • And Saraswati Kund in the vicinity of the temple.
  • Saraswati Ganga, which originates in the courtyard of the shrine fills these ponds.

Religious Significance of Triyuginarayan Temple in Hinduism:

  • Devotees believe that Triyuginarayan was once the capital of Himavat. And it was the venue for Lord Shiva and Parvati’s celestial marriage during the Sat Yuga.
  • Lord Vishnu performed the wedding rituals as Parvati’s brother and Lord Brahma “The Creator” acted as a priest.
  • The temple holds the utmost importance in Hinduism as it finds its mention in Sthala-Purana (a scripture denoting pilgrim centres).
  • According to the Sthala-Purana, pilgrims who visit this temple collect the ashes from Akhand Dhuni as they consider it as holy.
  • Devotees also believe that the ashes from this perpetual fire promote conjugal bliss.

Holy Kunds or Bathing Ponds near Triyuginarayan:

  • One can witness the presence of four Kunds or bathing ponds located near the temple.
  • People believe that several Hindu gods took a sacred bath in these ponds to cleanse themselves before witnessing the marriage ceremony.
  • Saraswati River that originated from Vishnu’s navel was the source of these Kunds. Hence, devotees believe that the water of these Kunds cures infertility.

How to Reach Triyuginarayan:

Triyuginarayan in Rudraprayag district is at a distance of 27 km from Kedarnath. It is 13 km from Gaurikund and 10 km from Sonprayag.

The temple is in the heart of Triyuginarayan village in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand.

The nearest railway heads to the temple are at Rishikesh and Dehradun. The closest air connectivity is at Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun. See the video.

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