Karnaprayag, a sacred place for Hindus, is nestled at the confluence of
Alaknanda River and
Pindari River. It is believed that
Karna, the elder brother of the
Pandavas, was born here. He was the son of Kunti and
Surya, the Sun God. As he was born out of wedlock, Kunti disowned him and put him in a basket and floated it off on the river. However, Karna was saved and brought up by a charioteer, Adhirath. Karna became an ardent devotee of the Sun God and worshipped him at Karnaprayag. It was here that the Sun God blessed him with a pair of earrings and armor that made him invincible. Karna befriended the Kauravas and was killed by Arjuna at
Kurukshetra. It is believed that Karna worshipped Surya at Karna Maudi, a site on the left bank of the confluence. Two large stone images of Karna and his queen Padmavati can be seen here. There are also temples dedicated to Karna and Goddess
Parvati here.
