All about ‘Triyuginarayan'; the place where it is believed that Maa Parvati and Bhagwan Shiv got married

The Triyuginarayan temple or locally known as ‘Trijuginarayan’ is located in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand. The temple is surrounded by lush greenery and picturesque surroundings. The location features the snow-capped mountains of the Garhwal region and the temple looks very similar to Kedarnath, which is another important pilgrimage site.
Triyuginaryan is also called the ‘Akhand Dhuni’ temple owing to the eternal fire present in the temple which is said to have witnessed the marriage of Shiva and Parvati.

According to popular beliefs, the divine marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati took place in the Triyuginarayan temple. It is said that Mata Parvati meditated for years and years before Lord Shiva was finally convinced of her devotion.
Legend has it that Lord Shiva, mesmerised by Mata Parvati's unwavering devotion and penance, agreed to marry her in this very temple. The sacred fire or ‘Akhand dhuni’ in this temple is said to be the one that was lit when the two were taking their ‘Pheras’ during the wedding.

Although the Triyuginarayan temple is famous for the wedding of Shiv and Parvati, it is actually dedicated to Lord Vishnu. When dissected, the name Triyuginarayan refers to - ‘Tri - Three, Yugi - Yugas and Narayan - name of Lord Vishnu’.
An intriguing aspect of this divine union of Shiv and Parvati was the role played by Lord Vishnu in the wedding ceremonies. It is believed that before the wedding, Parvati's father, Himalaya, expressed concern about her well-being. To reassure him, Lord Vishnu transformed himself into Parvati's brother and accompanied her to Triyuginarayan and took up all the rituals that are supposed to be performed by the bride’s brother.

Another important aspect of the marriage, apart from it being Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati’s wedding, is that none other than Lord Brahma himself officiated it.
As per the legend, Lord Brahma presided over the sacred ceremony, showering blessings upon the divine couple. The presence of Brahma sanctified the union, making it an eternal bond. The Brahma kund inside the temple is the one where it is said that Lord Brahma took a bath before seeing over the marriage.

Within the premises of the Triyuginarayan temple, there are 3 sacred kunds or water tanks known as Rudra Kund, Vishnu Kund and Brahma Kund. Some people also say that today when people get married in the Triyuginarayan temple, they must first take a bath in the three kunds before moving to the ceremonies.
Additionally, there is a unique stone called ‘Brahma Shila’ near the temple, which is believed to be the exact spot where Lord Brahma performed the marriage rituals.