Triyuginarayan Temple — where Shiva and Parvati are said to have married
What it is
The Triyuginarayan Temple is an old Vishnu temple in the village of Triyuginarayan in Rudraprayag district, famous because tradition places the marriage of Shiva and Parvati here. In front of the temple a fire burns in a four-cornered pit; the story says it has burned since the wedding, and that is why the shrine is also called the Akhand Dhuni temple, "the unbroken flame". The name is read as three yugas, or ages, of offerings of wood to the fire.
Photos: Naresh Balakrishnan (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Shrvn.K (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Getting there
By road about 13 km and 24 minutes on our routing from Gauri Kund. Wikipedia calls Gauri Kund 5 km from Triyuginarayan, which is the distance between the two places, not the road. We have no verified rule about where vehicles must stop in the village, so ask on arrival.
The wedding and the fire
By the story, Parvati, daughter of Himavat, won Shiva by penance at Gauri Kund. They were married at Triyuginarayan, which is believed to have been Himavat's capital, with Vishnu acting as her brother and Brahma as priest. The spot is marked by the Brahma Shila, a stone set before the temple. Pilgrims treat the ashes of the fire as holy and carry them home; they are believed to bring a happy marriage. Four small pools nearby, fed by a stream from the courtyard, are said to cure infertility.
The Jamloki Brahmins of the Kedarghati, the valley's priests, are the chief worshippers, and by Wikipedia's account they keep the fire burning continuously, where it once lit itself.
When to go
Any month the road is open. See when to visit Kedarnath.
Around it
Gauri Kund is the road-end below, and Guptakashi, where tradition says Shiva proposed to Parvati, is the town down the valley. The one-day plan strings the three together.
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Questions people ask
Why is Triyuginarayan famous?
By tradition it is where Shiva and Parvati were married, with Vishnu as witness and Brahma as the priest. A fire in front of the temple is said to have burned since that wedding, which is why it is also called the Akhand Dhuni temple, and pilgrims carry its ashes home. A stone marks the spot of the wedding.
How far is Triyuginarayan from Gaurikund?
About 13 km and 24 minutes by road on our routing from Gaurikund. Wikipedia describes the two as 5 km apart, which is the straight distance between the villages, not the road. Guptakashi, the larger town down the valley, is about 55 minutes from Gaurikund.
Who worships at Triyuginarayan?
The Jamloki Brahmins of the Kedarghati are the chief worshippers, and they keep the fire burning. Wikipedia says it used to ignite by itself and, in this age, is fed continuously. We have no verified timings or rules for visitors, so ask in the village before you go in.