History of Naina Devi Temple: Near the
Shivalik mountain- According to legend, Lord Shiva’s
consort Sati once burnt herself alive in Yagna to avenge
an insult to Lord Shiva. The distraught Shiva picked
her corpse and gyrated his horrified dance. Then Lord
Vishnu unleashed
His Chakra and cut the Sati’s body into fifty
one pieces to save the earth from Shiva’s wrath.
All the fifty one places - where parts of Sati's body
fell, became known as Shakti Peeths.It is believed that
Sati’s eyes fell at the place where this temple
is situated. Therefore, this temple is called Naina
Devi. The word Naina is synonymous with Sati’s
eyes.Since then, devotees started visiting this temple..
It's surrounded by Govind Sagar lake and Bharka Dam.
The temple is situated above the Naina peak at a height
of 2611 metres. A famous Indian legend is that after
Sati had burned herself alive, Lord Shiva, her husband,
carrying her corpse with anger, started his tandava
(dance of death) bringing destruction on earth. Hence
lord Vishnu, to stop him, unleashed his chakra and this
cut the body of Sati in 51 pieces. Wherever her body
parts fell, today those places are worshipped and are
called Shakti Peeths. Her eyes fell here and hence Naina
Devi temple came up here. The word naina is synonymous
with eyes in Hindi. A fair held here in honour of Nanda
devi, the patron goddess of Kumaon is very famous and
attracts several people every year, it is an important
event in the cultural and religious activity chart of
Uttaranchal.
Madmaheshwar Temple
Located in Rudraprayag district, the temple is one
of the five Kedar temples, or one of the five places
where the parts of Shiva fell. It is believed that the
place where Madmaheshwar temple is situated, Lord Shiva's
stomach had emerged. The temple is located at an altitude
of 3289 metres above the sea level. A classic example
of north Indian style architecture, the temple is surrounded
by wild natural scenery. The trek upto here is filled
with wild and unparalleled scenic beauty on the way.
The water here at Madmaheshwar is considered so pure
and sanctified that even few drops are more then enough
for baptising one.
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