By Kirankant Sharma
Dehradun : If you thought GenZ chose destination weddings only amid a valley of flowers, scenic opulence or pristine beaches, you are mistaken. For, the Triyuginarayan temple steeped in mythological lore, and situated in the mist-laden hills of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, at an altitude of 6,495 feet in the Rudraprayag district, is now among their shortlisted and much sought-after destinations. The place is known to have hosted the wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati with Lord Vishnu playing the role of Parvati’s brother.
“The eternal fire that burns in the havan kund here is believed to be from the days when the divine wedding took place,” says Ashutosh Dimri of the Badrinath Pujari Samaj. “People take the ashes home, believing it to be sacred for happiness and harmony,” he adds.

According to the data available, in the last few years, the number of people getting married here has increased manifold. Apart from people of Uttarakhand, those from other parts of the country are flocking the place to tie the wedlock. Earlier what was limited to only two or three marriages in a year, has increased post 2018, as people want to spend the special occasion away from the madding crowd of cities. It is also believed that since the divine couple took the wedding vows at the place and lived happily thereafter, those tying the knot here would also be blessed, Dimri adds.
While in 2021, 51 people took the vows here, in 2022, the figure rose to 101. In 2023, more than 62 people got married here, but in 2024, 152 couples tied the nuptial knot at the destination. This year, so far, 82 marriages have taken place in the Triyuginarayan temple. Although the temple is under the regulations of Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee, marriage and other programmes are organised by the family of 200 pilgrim priests living in close proximity.
During wedding season, about 11 marriages take place here on a single day. To help the wedding parties, local women have formed a team to arrange all the work, from start to finish. The families need to come with guests only, rest of the requirements are arranged locally.
"Couples getting married have to bring some important documents like Aadhaar card or any identity card. While booking the destination for wedding, the party needs to pay Rs 1100 in advance and after the marriage, a certificate will be issued by the temple, for which Rs 1100 more has to be paid," said Saraswatanand Bhatt, Member of the Tirtha Purohit Samiti.

The Triyuginarayan temple is not only important because of the marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, but it associated mythically with Badrinath, Kedarnath and other religious places. Legend says Parvati performed penance in nearby Gaurikund to win Shiva’s love following which the divine wedding took place with the blessings of the gods. Gaurikund, located at a distance of just 5 kilometers from Kedarnath, is also the place where Lord Shiva and Parvati met, explains Dharmacharya and astrologer Pratik Mishra.
Lord Vishnu gave Parvati away in marriage while Brahma performed the rituals, and they took the sacred vows around the eternal flame, believed to be burning in the havan kund till date.
There are four ponds near the Triyuginarayan temple - Vishnu Kund, Brahma Kund, Saraswati Kund and Rudra Kund, which are considered pious. As per beliefs, people get blessed if they take a dip in these ponds. Their wish to have children also gets fulfilled here, at the confluence of Mandakini and Son Ganga.

Although Triyuginarayan temple is believed to be existing since Treta Yuga, but in the eighth century, the temple was renovated by Adi Guru Shankaracharya. The temple is built on the same architectural style as Kedarnath where a 2-foot statue of Lord Shiva is worshipped. It also has the statues of Maa Lakshmi and Saraswati and a few havan kunds within the premises of the temple, where marriages are solemnised.
Among the well-known personalities who have taken the wedding vows here include ISRO scientists, actress Chitra Shukla, Kavita Kaushik, Nikita Sharma, singer Hansraj Raghuvanshi, YouTuber Adarsh Suyal, Garhwali folk singer Saurabh Maithani and many well-known personalities. Actor Govinda's niece Aarti Singh and Deepak Chauhan also got re-married here Triyuginarayan.
How to Reach Triyuginarayan
• By Air: The nearest airport is Jolly Grant, Dehradun. Helicopter services to Sonprayag are available under the UDAN scheme.
• By Rail: Trains connect to Haridwar and Rishikesh.
• By Road: From Haridwar (165 km), take a taxi to Rudraprayag, then travel to Sonprayag (70 km) or directly to Triyuginarayan.
• From Delhi: Approx. 441 km. Accessible year-round except during heavy monsoon.
Stay: Homestays, dharamshalas, and small hotels are available in and around the village. Wedding arrangements can be handled entirely by local service providers.
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