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Madhyamaheshwar Temple Chamoli

Madhyamaheshwar also known as Madmaheshwar is a small, non-descript town in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. The place is named after the famous Madhyamaheshwar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is the fourth of the five temples of the Panch Kedar pilgrimage cycle.

Location

Madhyamaheshwar Temple is located in the Mansuna Village of Garhwal Himalayas. It is situated at an elevation of approximately 3497 meters and is an important part of Panch Kedar circuit that also includes the Kedarnath, Tunganath, Rudranath and the Kalpeshwar.

History

At Madhyamaheshwar Temple, Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of lingam that’s shaped as the navel of the Nandi bull. The temple is surrounded by snow-capped magnificence of the Himalayas and alpine meadows that look divine in their lush-green form. There is a dense forest that forms the backdrop of the temple.

Madhyamaheshwar Temple is believed to have been built by the Pandavas after decimating the Pandavas during the war of Kurukshetra. They wanted to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva and atone for the sins of killing their own cousins. Lord Shiva wanted them to introspect and understand the gravity of their actions and hence avoided them by taking the form of the Nandi bull. He disappeared into the ground and scattered various parts of the body across the region. The navel of the bull was found at Madhyamaheshwar and that’s why the lingam worshipped here has this unique shape.

Key Attractions of the Temple

Apart from the uniquely-shaped lingam, one can also find two smaller temples that are dedicated to Goddess Parvati and Ardhanarishwari which is a half-man, half-woman form. An attractive sculpture of Goddess Sarswathi made of marble adorns the sanctum inside the temple.

The trek to Madhyamaheshwar is part of a majestic realization of the power and energy of the nature around us. The landscape presents a spectacular view of the gigantic Himalayan peaks. A trek to the top of the temple can be physically challenging but the mesmerizing surroundings can charge your batteries quickly. The unwinding paths through the lush meadows and dense forests offer an once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The rituals and worship of idols of the temple starts at a specific time at the beginning of summer and goes on till the onset of winter in October/November. Extreme climate in the winter renders the temple precincts inaccessible. During this period, the symbolic idol of the Lord is reallocated to Ukhimath for uninterrupted worship.

The best time to visit Madhyamaheshwar temple is during the summer and monsoon season. The months from May to October are ideal for an enjoyable visit. Visit during the monsoon season may be challenging because of extreme rainfall at times. The summer season offers very pleasant weather.