Shri Gopinath Temple

About the Temple

The Gopinath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This ancient temple is located at Gopeshwar in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. The temple is unique due to its distinct cult tradition. Unlike other Shiva temples, milk and water are not offered to Lord Gopinath. Instead, only Bilva leaves are offered on the Shiv linga. It is said that in ancient times a cow used to pour her milk on the Shiva linga every day. When the king of the Katyuri dynasty saw this, he built a temple at the same place.

Remains of broken idols found around the temple prove the existence of Gopinath temple in ancient times. A 5 m high trident can be seen in the courtyard of the temple, which is made of eight different metals. It dates from the 12th century. The temple contains idols of Lord Vishnu, Lord Ganesha, Lord Hanuman, Lord Brahma, Goddess Kali, Saraswati and Garuda. Images of Lord Bhairava and Lord Narayana can be found on the walls of the temple. The outer courtyard of the temple houses a row of Shiv lings and the Kalpa Vriksha.

History & Mythology of Gopinath Mandir

The Gopinath Temple was built by the Katyuri rulers between the 9th and 11th centuries. The temple stands out for its architecture. It has a magnificent dome and sanctum sanctorum which has 24 doors. Inside the main sanctum is seen the Swayambhu or Shiv linga, which itself manifests as Gopinath and Nandi. Partially broken idols in the temple premises indicate the existence of other temples. The main temple is built in the Nagara pattern.

According to legend, the trident in the temple courtyard belongs to Lord Shiva. Shiva hurled his trident to kill Kamadeva (God of Love) when he tried to disturb Lord Shiva’s meditation. The trident fixed on that spot and has been there ever since.

Festival at Gopinath Mandir

Gopinath Mandir celebrates Shiva Rathri as its main festival. Many devotees come here for worship. On this day, mainly Shivites are seen in large numbers. This auspicious day attracts devotees from nearby villages and celebrates grandly

here. The Chamoli festival of light is also an important festival that occurs around the time of Diwali. It is a week-long festival held here. Apart from the main festival, nearby festivals of sub-deities are also celebrated here with local villagers and many devotees visiting this temple first as it is the primary deity.

Best time to visit

Gopinath Temple is best visited during summer and spring season when the weather is mild and the sky is clear. During winter, the road to Gopinath becomes more foggy and difficult to pass.

How to Reach Gopinath Temple:

By Road : Roadways buses are the best option to reach Gopeshwar. The town is well connected to all the major cities of Uttarakhand.

By Train : Nearest railhead is in the Rishikesh at a distance of around 210 kilometers. There are a many buses and taxis available outside the railway station.

By Air : Jolly Grant Dehradun Airport is the nearest airport. It is around 227 kilometers from Gopeshwar. One can easily get a bus or taxi to Gopeshwar outside the airport.

Address : C878+G98, Gopeshwar, Uttarakhand 246401