Temple and holy location (tirtha) in the Garhwal area of the Himalayas, some thirty miles from the district headquarters at Chamoli, in the valley between the Mandakini and the Alakananda rivers.
The god Shiva manifested as "Lord Rudra" is the
temple's presiding deity.
Rudranath is part of the Panchkedar, a network of five holy
places in the Garhwal area; the other four are Kedarnath, Kalpeshvar, Tungnath,
and Madmaheshvar.
Since Shiva is said to reside in the Himalayas, this network
of five locations is seen as a symbolic representation of Shiva's body.
Rudranath is Shiva's visage, according to legend.
Himalayan settlement and holy location (tirtha) at the
confluence of the Mandakini and Alakananda rivers, two Himalayan tributaries of
the Ganges River.
Rudraprayag, like all the other river crossings in the
Garhwal area, is regarded a particularly sacred spot for bathing (snana),
despite the dangers posed by the rushing currents.
A shrine dedicated to Shiva in his Rudra avatar stands above
the river's confluence.
According to legend, here is where the sage Narada practiced
physical austerity (tapas) in order to improve his bardic skills.
Shiva, happy with Narada's efforts, gave him music lessons
and stayed at the location.
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