Karnaprayag Sangam Temple

🛕 About This Temple

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Karnaprayag ties directly into the Mahabharata rather than the more commonly cited Shiva-focused legends found at several other Panch Prayag confluences — this is where the Pindar River meets the Alaknanda, and tradition holds it takes its name from Karna, the tragic warrior-hero of the epic, said to have performed intense penance to Surya, the sun god, at this exact site and received his famously impenetrable armour and earrings in return. That Mahabharata connection gives Karnaprayag a genuinely distinct devotional register from the more Shaiva-focused confluences elsewhere in the Panch Prayag sequence, tying this specific site instead to one of the epic's most sympathetic and morally complex figures. Geographically, Karnaprayag sits roughly midway along the wider Badrinath pilgrimage route, making it a natural, practical stopping point for pilgrims travelling the full Char Dham circuit rather than a destination most would seek out entirely on its own.

📜 Our Heritage

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Karnaprayag has a long-documented history as a significant waypoint on the Badrinath pilgrimage route, its position at this sacred confluence and its specific Mahabharata associations giving it a distinct devotional identity within the wider Panch Prayag tradition.

🏛️ Design & Craftsmanship

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A temple built in the Nagara style typical of the Garhwal region, situated at the confluence where the Pindar River joins the Alaknanda, with the dramatic river meeting point central to the site's significance.

🪷 Mythology

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One of the five Panch Prayag, Karnaprayag marks the confluence of the Pindar and Alaknanda rivers, tied to the legend of Karna, the Mahabharata's tragic warrior-hero, who is said to have performed penance to the sun god Surya here and received his famous armour and earrings in return.

🙏 Visiting the Sanctum

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When to Visit

Daily Pooja & Aarti Schedule

Darshan Tickets

Pujas & Sevas Performed Here

Major Festivals

Temple Prasadam

Getting There

Nearest airport: Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun (~180 km). Rudraprayag is the nearest major town with wider connectivity, with Karnaprayag reachable by road.