The Kedarnath shrine is a significant religious place in Uttarakhand. It is a part of the Chota Chardham, one of the Panch Kedars and also one of the twelve Jyotirlings. The immense importance of this site for the pious hearts can be easily imaginable. To visit Kedarnath, it takes more than just a wish. The unflinching Love for the Lord and His Will is all that you need for your journey to God’s path.
History & Myth:
For a place so ancient and divine the history and myth have blended so well that it is difficult to sort one from the other. Nevertheless, it is believed that the famed Pandavas of the Mahabharata era have built the earlier version of the temple. With time it was destroyed and a new one was established just beside the actual temple when Adi Shankaracharya visited the place during 8th century AD.
The records tell that after the devastating war in Kurukshetra, the remorseful Pandavas went to visit Lord Shiva to absolve themselves of their sins. They took the path through Haridwar and upwards. In Guptkashi, Pandavas got a glance of Shiva but he hid himself from them. They continued seeking the Lord and reached Gaurikund. Nakul saw a buffalo which looked rather extraordinary. Bhima chased the buffalo with his mace and hit it hard. The buffalo hid its face in a crevice with Bhima pulling its tail from behind. The head of the buffalo reached Nepal and formed Doleshwar Mahadev at Sipadol, Bhaktapur. The triangular shaped hind part was left behind with the Pandavas. From it, a light emerged and within the light was Lord Shiva. The Pandavas were absolved of their sins and built a temple for the Lord. Bhima repented that he unknowlingly hit Lord with mace, and massaged Lord Shiva with ghee. This tradition is still followed by the locals who message the rock with ghee.
Some say that in ancient time, the name of the king was Kedar and he was a devotee of Lord Shankara. After his name, Lord Shiva got named as Kedarnath (Lord of Kedar).
Location:
Situated among the majestic and snowcapped Garhwal Himalayan ranges close to the holy river Mandakini, this dham shrine falls in the Rudraprayag district of devbhoomi Uttarakhand. The temple cannot be directly accessed but it can only be reached after covering an uphill trekking distance of 14 kms which commences from Gaurikund. Sitting at an elevation of 11,755 feet above sea level this dham is located against an impressive backdrop of the twin snow clad peaks of the holy Nar Narayan parbat which gives the entire region an extremely scenic vibe.
Visiting Places:
Kedarnath Temple
The impressively built stone temple dedicated to Lord Shiva attracts thousands of pilgrims, even after the catastrophic flood. The temple houses numerous idols of different deities. Inside the sanctum sanctorum, there is a black roughly triangular shaped rock worshipped as Kedarnath. Outside the sanctum sanctorum, there is a stone Bull worshipped as Nandi in sitting position looking towards the Lord.
Gaurikund
Although flood has washed away a lot of things, but the place and temple is still in good position. There is a hot spring where one has to take a holy dip to cleanse one’s soul before commencing the journey to Kedarnath. Myth has it that Lord Shiva accepted the proposal to marry Gauri here, and married her in Triyuginarayan.
Vasuki Taal
It is situated 7 km uphill from Kedarnath filled with crystal clear water.
Shankaracharya Samadhi
The great sage, scholar and religious reformer Adi Shankaracharya at the age of 32 attained Samadhi here.
Best time to Visit
It is during the pleasant summers and autumn, i.e. May to July and then Oct-Nov. There are landslides during monsoons.
How to Reach:
By air- Jolly Grant airport is the nearest airport. From here there are taxis and buses that ply regularly to the nearby destinations.
By rail- Haridwar is the railhead which is connected to the major stations nationwide. From Haridwar, there are numerous buses and taxis are available.
By road- There are many buses and taxis available from major destinations nearby. Private cars follow the bus-routes from Haridwar onwards.
Note: The earlier trek route from Gaurikund onwards has been washed away completely by the Deluge of 2013 in Uttarakhand. It was closed for the tourists for a year. Now, there is new trek route which takes longer time than before. From Guptkashi, the motorabble road turns towards Kalimath-Kotma Road instead of Kedarnath road and reaches Chaumasi. From here there are two trek routes:
- Chaumasi – Kham Bugyal – Reka Bugyal – Kedarnath
- Chumasi – Reka Bugyal – Kedarnath
Total distance is now more or less 34 km and takes 2 days to traverse.
Accommodation Facilities
Being located at an impressive height the temple area does not have resort or luxury stay options. The hotels range from 3 star to 1 star which offer hot water and an overall a comfortable stay experience. However if your budget is limited then you can also opt for government guest houses or even lodges. There are camping as well as cheap dorm room options which will definitely fit your budget. The closest stays to the temple are in tents that are only a few metres away from the main dham shrine. Other hotels are situated in Sonprayag, Guptkashi and Phata.
Food Availability
Do not expect high quality fine dining food options since due to its location the food options are limited. You will be fed north Indian or Chinese food items. However depending on your hotel its restaurants may also provide you with some other options as well but not much. Due to its location the food is dependent on various nearby sources making the food cuisines selection extremely limited.
Temple Interiors
When you reach the temple you will be greeted with a fascinating structure of Nandi the bull. Once you step inside the temple you will be walking into a small hall which is pillared an adorned with images of Lord Shiva’s consort Parvati as well as images of the five pandava princes who are believed to have created this temple on their journey to heaven. Some other statues inside the temple are of Lord Krishna, Virabhadra and Draupadi. The presiding deity of the shrine is in the form of a triangular black stone structure which is believed to be linga for Lord Shiva and is placed inside the garbhagriha of the temple.
Kedarnath Dham Route Map from Dehradun / Delhi / Nainital
Dehradun: Dehradun - Rishikesh - Shivpuri - Pipalkoti - Devprayag - Srinagar - Rudraprayag - Agastmuni - Ukhimath - Sonprayag - Gaurikund - Rambara - Kedarnath.
Delhi: Delhi - Kotdwar - Srinagar - Rudraprayag - Agastmuni - Ukhimath - Gaurikund - Kedarnath.
Nainital: Nainital - Ranikhet - Karnaprayag - Rudraprayag - Agastmuni - Ukhimath - Phata - Sonprayag - Gaurikund - Kedarnath.
Excursion Options
- Triyuginarayan Temple: Situated at a distance of 25 km this temple was created to commemorate the celestial wedding of Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati among the presence of Lord Vishnu and other important sages, priests and seers. You will witness the eternal flame which has been ignited ever since the marriage and has not been put out.
- Guptkashi: You can also go on an expedition to another picturesque site of Guptkashi which is located at a distance of 49 kms. Here you can pay a visit to some of the most ancient and highly revered temples of Ardhanareshwar which is dedicated to the half man and half woman incarnation of Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati.
- Agastmuni: Sitting at a distance of 67 kms from the main dham shrine of Kedarnath this place is famous for its temple which is dedicated to guru Agastya. Other places of tourist interest here include - Ganganagar, Baidubazar, Banswada and Chandrapuri.