Raghunath Temple: A divine shrine of Lord Rama, Devprayag
Located at the top of the hill, surrounded by lofty mountains and on the conflux of Alaknanda-Bhagirathi, Raghunath temple is an ancient temple devoted to Lord Rama in the sacred land of Devprayag. Let’s find more about the temple, its religious significance and many more.
Situated in Devprayag, Uttarakhand, Raghunath temple is among the 108 important ancient temples (Divyadesams) in India. Dedicated to Lord Ram (an avatar of Lord Vishnu), Raghunath temple is situated up on the hill on the conflux of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers which together form the River Ganga. The temple houses 6 ft tall idol of Lord Ram with his wife Goddess Sita and brother Lakshman.
The temple complex also has small temples of Hanuman, Annapurna Devi, Adi Guru Shankaracharya and Garuda near the main temple.
Raghunath temple History
Legends believe that this temple was set up by Adi Guru Shankaracharya in the 8th century which was later expanded by Garhwal Kingdoms. While the locals believe that the temple was first constructed by Raja Jagat Singh of Kullu.
The present structure of the temple is said to be that of 1835, built by Maharaja Gulab Singh, the founder of Jammu and Kashmir which was later carried out by Maharaja Ranbir Singh (the son of Maharaja Gulab Singh) and completed around 1860.
Today the temple is under administration and maintenance of the Government of Uttarakhand.
Raghunath temple Structure and Architecture
The temple is made of a huge stone. The architecture of the temple somewhere resembles that of the Buddhist and South Indian style of architecture. One can find the Lord Rama’s majestic idol in Gandhara style inside the temple.
Mythology or Religious Significance of Raghunath temple
Devprayag is believed to be a holy place for being the confluence point of the two major rivers namely Alaknanda and Bhagirathi. Being a holy destination, many Gods and legends choose this place for penance.
It is believed that Lord Ram after killing Raavan performed penance at Devprayag to get rid of the sin of killing a Brahman. Similarly, Pandavas also performed penance at Devprayag before going to the Mahabharata war. Lord Brahma and Sage Bharadwaj also did perform penance at this place. This is how Devprayag became a sacred land for Hindus.
Natural Attractions, Devprayag
Devprayag is located in Tehri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand and is famous for being the Sangam Spot of the two rivers – Alaknanda and Bhagirathi which is beautiful scenery and a holy destination for Hindus. People with deep religious sentiments visit Devprayag and take bath in the holy confluence of both the rivers.
Also, the quiet ambience, peaceful environment and eye-catching natural attractions add a plus point to the location. The feel of being in the lap of nature can be truly felt in your visit to Devprayag.
Places to visit near Raghunath temple, Devprayag
- Chandrabadani Temple
- The holy confluence point of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda
Things to do
Well, there are a lot of things one can enjoy but for tourists who want to have some thrilling experience in Devprayag can enjoy the various sporty and adventurous activities like river rafting, camping, cliff jumping, rock climbing, mountaineering, etc. in Devprayag.
How to reach Devprayag
Devprayag falls on the way of national highway NH 58 that links New Delhi with Badrinath and Mana Paas and is well connected to roadways. One can reach Devprayag by taking a cab, sharing bus or jeep. Railways are not accessible only up to Rishikesh and Haridwar. From where you have to take a bus or taxi. The nearest air connectivity to Devprayag is in Dehradun.
Best time to visit Devprayag
Devprayag is quite a chilled place that can be visited anytime throughout the year. However, summer and winters are best to plan a trip to Devprayag.