Credit: Amit Chatterjee
About Budha Kedar Mandir
Budha Kedar Mandir is situated in the Tehri district of Uttarakhand.At the confluence of the Balakhilya and Dharam Ganga rivers. It’s the place where Duryodhana offers tarpan.
Daily buses run from Tehri, which’s situated at a distance of 62 kilometers from Budha kedar.
Following the river Bhilganga upward, in the journey several villages come across, like Simalashu and Gadolia.Once you reach Ganshali, you will follow the Balganga River and cross Chamilia from Budh Kedar, which is located a short distance away.
An interesting story is associated with the temple. During the Mahabharata, pandavas in exile were searching Shiva. They found a saint named Rishi Balakhilya on the Bhrigu parbat. He directed him to the place where, at the confluence, an old man was meditating.
But once Pandavas reached the site, they found that the old man had vanished, and in its place, Shivling appeared.At this time, Rishi Balakhilya again advised the Pandavas to start praying to Shivling. It will set them free from their sins.
In kedarkandh, an incident is recorded that says, after tarapana at the prayag, Pandavas proceed further to kedarnath.