Guptakashi — the "hidden Kashi" on the road to Kedarnath
What it is
Guptakashi, also written Guptkashi, is a fair-sized town at about 1,319 m on the Mandakini in Rudraprayag district, with the snow peaks of Chaukhamba behind it. It is known for the ancient Vishwanath Temple, to Shiva, and for a temple to Ardhanareshvara. It lies on the way to Kedarnath, and its name, "hidden Kashi", comes from a story.
Photos: Vvnataraj (CC BY-SA 3.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Getting there
About 28 km and 55 minutes by road from Gauri Kund on our routing. Wikipedia gives the straight line from Guptakashi to Kedarnath as about 22 km; the walk from Gaurikund is 16 to 17 km on top of the road, so this is not a short hop to the temple.
The bull and the Pandavas
By the story, after the Kurukshetra war the Pandavas wanted forgiveness for the deaths of their kinsmen and went in search of Shiva. He avoided them at Kashi and came here in disguise as the bull Nandi. Bhima seized the bull's tail and hind legs, but it sank into the ground, and later Shiva reappeared in five forms: the hump at Kedarnath, and the face, arms, navel and locks at four other shrines of the Panch Kedar. The place where he vanished became Guptakashi. Another tradition says Shiva proposed to Parvati here before they were married at Triyuginarayan.
When to go
Any month. Wikipedia says the town enjoys good weather through the year, and it sits far lower than Kedarnath. See when to visit Kedarnath.
Around it
Ukhimath, where the Kedarnath deity spends the winter, is down the road and is described on its own page in our Chopta guide. The one-day plan links Guptakashi with Triyuginarayan and Gauri Kund.
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Questions people ask
Why is the town called Guptakashi?
The name means hidden Kashi. By the story, the Pandavas sought Shiva's forgiveness after the Kurukshetra war, but he hid here as the bull Nandi. When Bhima grabbed the bull it sank into the ground and reappeared in five forms: the hump at Kedarnath, and the face, arms, navel and locks at the other four Kedar shrines.
What are the main temples in Guptakashi?
The ancient Vishwanath Temple, to Shiva, which Wikipedia compares with the one in Varanasi, and a temple to Ardhanareshvara, the joint form of Shiva and Parvati. The town sits at about 1,319 m on the Mandakini, with Chaukhamba's snow peaks behind. We have no verified opening hours, so ask locally.
How far is Guptakashi from Gaurikund and Kedarnath?
About 28 km and 55 minutes by road from Gaurikund on our routing. Wikipedia gives the straight distance from Guptakashi to Kedarnath as about 22 km, and puts the walk from Gaurikund at 16 to 17 km on top of the road. Ukhimath, where the Kedarnath deity winters, is about 83 minutes from Gaurikund.