Exploring Triyuginarayan Temple in Uttarakhand, the wedding venue of Lord Shiva and Parvati!

The Triyuginarayan village in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand makes for an ideal destination for all those in search of a revered place to get married.

While finding the right life partner is actually a big deal for all of us, finding the ideal wedding location is also an equally big one. Mostly, those in search of an ideal location, pick a hotel, or a resort, or a destination wedding for their big day.

That's where this beautiful Uttarakhand village comes into the picture. Why so? Triyuginarayan is famed for its namesake temple that is dedicated to Lord Vishnu; as per the legends, the temple is where Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati got married.

This is how this place got its name, i.e., Triyuginarayan with Tri meaning three, and Yugi meaning epochs, and Narayan as a synonym for Lord Vishnu.

You will be surprised to know that this temple has several features that bear testimony to the ancient legend. There is an eternal fire or dhooni that burns at the shrine round the clock. If you go by the folklore, it’s believed that the fire was lit up during the occasion of Shiva-Parvati wedding.

Apart from this, there are four water tanks; Rudra Kund for bathing, Brahma Kund for sipping water, Vishnu Kund for cleansing, and Saraswati Kund for offering libations. Pilgrims, who visit Triyuginarayan temple also visit the Gauri Kund Temple, which serves as the base camp for Kedarnath Temple trek.

As per the legends, Lord Brahma served as the priest to solemnise the wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati here, while Lord Vishnu took care of all the rituals that the bride’s brother is supposed to perform. There is also a stone by the name Brahma Shila, which is believed to mark the exact location of the wedding. It is written there that if one carries ashes from the sacred fire, and keeps them at a clean place at their home, it will help them attract conjugal happiness.

In terms of architecture, the Triyuginarayan Temple looks almost like the famous Kedarnath Temple. As per the legend, the present structure was built around 1200 years ago by the saint, author and philosopher Adi Shankaracharya.

While many celebrities prefer destination weddings or exotic locations for their big day, some prefer to take a detour. TV actress Kavita Kaushik, popular for her role as Chandramukhi Chautala in the comedy TV series F.I.R, got married at Triyuginarayan Temple. Television actress Nikita Sharma, from Do Dil Ek Jaan series, also got married at this temple.

Situated around 12 km from Sonprayag via a motorable road, one can also take a short trek of 5 km through Sonprayag on the Guttur - Kedarnath route that passes through a thick forest. Those opting for trains can board one till Haridwar, which is situated around 275 km from Triyuginarayan.

However, those who want to save more time, can take a flight and reach Dehradun airport, and then take a taxi for Triyuginarayan.

Finding a place to stay will not be a difficult task here. There are clean and modest lodging options here, which are also affordable, and situated near the temple. Plus, these staying options offer breathtaking views of the entire region. You will only need to spend INR 500 or less for staying in such places per day.