Baijnath

Baijnath is a beautiful small town of Uttarakhand that rests on the banks of River Gomti. The town is famous for the ancient temple complex that is said to have been built by the Kumaon Katyuri king in around 1150 A.D. There are the idols of Shiva, Ganesh, Parvati, Chandika, Kuber, Surya and Brahma inside the complex. Baijnath remained the capital of the Katyuri dynasty of kings whose reign in Uttaranchal extended between 12th and 13th centuries. Legend has it that Hindu Lord Shiva and Parvati were married at the confluence of River Gomati and Garur Ganga.

At a distance of 3 km from the town is a temple of Bhagwati Mata, which is also called Kote-ke-mai Temple. It is said that Adiguru Shankaracharya stayed in this temple overnight while en route to Badrinath. There are is a budget accommodation available in the town at the state run Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) where good rooms with all modern amenities can be availed at cheap rates.