Situated 11 km from Gauchar, the icy flow from the Pindari Glacier becomes the Pindari river, and when it meets the Alaknanda at 788 m, the confluence is known as Karnaprayag. The wooded thickets of the hills surrounding Karnaprayag were the meeting ground for Shakuntala and Raja Dushyanta, immortalised in Kalidasa's immortal classic and a favourite ballad ever since.
The place derives its name from Kama, the son of the Queen Kunti and her fiery lover, Lord Surya (sun), Kama's lineage was kept a secret, but he propitiated the Sun God here, and acquired a pair of earrings & armour that made him invincible. Ultimately, he fell in the battle between the Pandavas & Kauravas, but remains a tragic hero for in life he never had the legitimacy he desired. Besides the temple dedicated to Kama, the temple dedicated to Goddess Umadevi, Narayan & Gopal stand at the confluence.
69 km from Gwaldam, Karnaprayag is on the main Rishikesh Badrinath highway. From here, the road to SriKedarnath (115 km) goes through Rudraprayag & the road to Sri Badrinath (128 km) through Joshimath. Karnaprayag is the base for treks to Roopkund and the Bedni Bugyals and the approach to the Pindari Glacier.
