Perched on the Garhwal Himalayas at an altitude of more than 6000 feet above sea level lies Gauri Kund. It is located in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand along the banks of the Mandakini River. The breathtaking view of the snow capped hills and the mountainous terrain is a sight to behold. There are hot springs at Gauri Kund which are now converted to bathing places.
Legends associated with Gauri Kund
The Himalayas play a significant role in our Hindu mythology, and is often considered to be the abode of Gods. It is believed that Goddess Parvati meditated in Gauri Kund and committed penance involving many ascetic and yogic practices to win over Shiva"s affections. In the end, Lord Shiva finally admitted his love for Parvati and they got married at Triyugi Narayan.
Another legend associated with the place is the beheading of Lord Ganesha. While bathing in the kund, Goddess Parvati fashioned Ganesha from soap suds of her body and asked him to stand guard at the entrance. Lord Shiva arrived at that moment and being denied entrance, enraged Shiva cut off Ganesha"s head. Parvati insisted her husband to bring her son back, so Lord Shiva took the head of a wandering elephant and placed it on Ganesha`s body.
Parvati had her son back and Ganesha was thus called Ganpati and became a revered God among mortals.
Gauri Kund is easily accessible to the people because of its connections with major destinations like Rudraprayag, Sonprayag, Haridwar, Rishikesh and Dehradun. The nearest railway station is at Rishikesh and the Jolly Grant Airport at Dehradun is a fair distance from the kund.
