Wedding venues today can mean luxury hotels, decorated lawns, resorts and elaborate destination setups. But more and more couples are now getting married at a temple in the Uttarakhand hills where, according to Hindu belief, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were married.The Triyuginarayan Temple in Rudraprayag district is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, but its biggest significance comes from the belief that Shiva and Parvati were married here. According to the legend, Vishnu conducted the wedding and Lord Brahma served as the priest.At the centre of this belief is a sacred fire that continues to burn at the temple.
Why is the fire at Triyuginarayan Temple special?
According to Hindu beliefs, the wedding of Shiva and Parvati took place here in the Treta Yuga.
According to Hindu beliefs, the wedding of Shiva and Parvati took place here in the Treta Yuga. The sacred fire, known as the Akhand Dhuni, is believed to have been burning since the wedding. The fire burns in a havan kund in front of the temple. Devotees take the ashes from the sacred fire with them, believing they bring happiness and stability to married life.This association has also given the temple another name that is Akhand Dhuni Temple. The temple itself is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, and the village gets its name from the belief that the sacred fire has continued through three yugas.
More pilgrims are visiting the temple
The temple is not only attracting couples looking for a religious wedding setting. Pilgrim numbers have also risen sharply. According to Uttarakhand Tourism Department data for January-June 2026, 3,40,385 pilgrims visited Triyuginarayan Temple in the first six months of 2026, compared with 1,36,120 during the same period in 2025.
What is a wedding at Triyuginarayan Temple like?
After the ceremony, the temple issues a handwritten marriage certificate.
For couples who want a traditional Hindu wedding without the scale of a resort wedding, the ceremony is centred around the temple and the Akhand Dhuni.1. Registration and bookingCouples first need to register with the local temple authority, the Tirtha Purohit Samiti. The registration also involves selecting the wedding date and time slot. During the busy pilgrimage and wedding seasons, couples are advised to book in advance as slots can fill up. For the registration, you can visit the temple priest’s office and get the wedding registered. Alternatively, you can also contact the priest over the phone to complete the registration process.2. Documents requiredCouples generally need to carry:
- Aadhaar cards or passports
- Address proof
- Passport-sized photographs
They also need to declare their intention to have the marriage conducted through the temple committee.3. Mandap and wedding arrangementsOnce the couple arrives, local priests arrange the mandap near the temple. Ritual items and puja samagri are also arranged locally, so couples do not necessarily have to bring these from the city.4. The wedding ceremonyThe ceremony follows traditional Hindu wedding rituals. It includes Ganesh puja, kanyadaan, the saat pheras around the Akhand Dhuni, sindoor and mangalsutra rituals. The core ritual generally takes around 45 to 60 minutes, while the complete process, including preparations, can take around 2 to 3 hours.5. Marriage certificateAfter the ceremony, the temple issues a handwritten marriage certificate. Couples can use this document for legal marriage registration purposes, although they should separately complete the applicable government registration formalities for a legally registered marriage.
How much does a Triyuginarayan Temple wedding cost?
The cost depends on the number of guests and the kind of arrangements a couple wants. According to Instagram creator Neha Pandey (@nehapandey9922), her wedding at Triyuginarayan Temple cost around ₹1.5 lakh to ₹1.7 lakh in total.For the wedding, the couple spent around ₹30,000 on temple registration and pandit ji’s charges. Makeup, including bridal makeup, haldi and mehndi-day makeup, as well as makeup for family members, cost ₹22,000.The couple booked a hotel near the temple for 20 guests, taking six rooms for a one-night stay. The package, which included breakfast, lunch and dinner, cost approximately ₹50,000. The hotel also arranged rooftop decorations for the haldi and mehndi functions and provided a speaker.Travel from Delhi to Triyuginarayan by a hired traveller cost around ₹35,000. A three-member camera team was hired for ₹40,000, while the photographer was brought from Delhi separately.Pandey said the overall cost can change depending on the wedding season, hotel rates, snowfall and the number of guests. Couples can also reduce expenses by adjusting travel, photography and other flexible arrangements. She added that couples can organise these arrangements themselves or seek help with planning and coordination.Mandir wedding cost: ~₹30,000 (Includes registration, Pandit ji dakshina & marriage certificate)
How to reach Triyuginarayan Temple
Rishikesh is the nearest railway station, around 219 km from Triyuginarayan.
Triyuginarayan is located in Rudraprayag district and is reached through the Kedarkhand region.By air: The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun. From the airport, travellers can take road transport towards Guptkashi and then continue towards Triyuginarayan village.By train: Rishikesh is the nearest railway station, around 219 km from Triyuginarayan. From Rishikesh, buses and taxis are available towards Guptkashi and onward to Triyuginarayan.By road: From Haridwar, Rudraprayag is around 165 km away. The journey can take around 6-7 hours, depending on road and traffic conditions. From Rudraprayag, travellers can continue towards Sonprayag, which is around 70 km away. Triyuginarayan is approximately 5 km from Sonprayag. Taxis are available for the final stretch. Travellers can also plan the road journey from Delhi.Because this is a mountain route, travel time can change considerably depending on weather, road conditions and traffic.
When is the best time to visit there?
April to June is generally considered a good period to visit Triyuginarayan, particularly for pilgrims and couples planning a wedding. During the summer months, temperatures in the region can range roughly between 20°C and 36°C. The monsoon can bring heavy rain and difficult road conditions in the hills, while winter can be cold and access may become more challenging.
