The Pandava princes were instructed to visit Uttarakhand to worship Lord Shiva as atonement for the havoc brought about by the Mahabharata battle. While hiding as a buffalo to elude the Pandavas, Lord Shiva was discovered by Bhima, one of the five Pandava brothers. The deity vanished after being recognised and emerged in five other Himalayan sites. Each of these locations is dedicated to a different aspect part of the Shiva.