Gupta kashi

Legend : After Mahabharatha war, Pandavas were advised to seek the forgiveness by Lord Shiva. As they had committed fratricide, brahmahatya and many many other cides. That is what is war for you - it makes you kill your family. Say no to war - say it to Israel and Russia. 

So as they had killed their cousins, their teacher and their grandfather, they come in search of Shiva to Kashi. Lord Shiva is angry by their sins and is in no mood to pardon them. So he goes to GuptaKashi disguised as a bull - Nandi and hides among other cattle.  Pandavas follow him there. Bhima grows in stature and size and forces all the cattle to walk between his legs. Of course Lord Shiva wouldn't do that. Now Bhima catches Nandirupi Shiva by his hind legs and tail. And the Lord disappears from there. He appears in 6 different places - hump at Kedarnath, face at Rudranath, arms at Tungnath, navel and stomach at Madhyamaheshwar and the locks at Kalpeshwar. 

Vishwanath Temple in Guptakashi

The temple is similar in architecture to that of Kashi Vishwanath temple. And typical of temples in Uttarakhand. 

There is a metal Nandi facing Shiva in the entrance. There is also an image of Bhairava at the top of the entrance door. There are two dwarpalakas at the entrance. 

There is a small pond in front of the temple, where two streams bathing a Shiva Linga. One stream representing Yamuna emanates from Gomukh and the other stream representing Bhagirathi( Ganga) emanates from the head of an elephant. 

To the left of the main temple, there is a temple of Ardhanareeshwar.

Gupta Kashi is a town in Uttarakhand on the way to Kedarnath temple. It is a a distance of 39 km. from RudraPrayag.