Kedarnath is a Hindu holy town located in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is a nagar panchayat in Rudraprayag district. The most remote of the four Char Dham sites, Kedarnath is located in the Himalayas, about 3584m above sea level near the head of river Mandakini, and is flanked by breathtaking snow-capped peaks. Kedarnath hosts one of the holiest Hindu temples, the Kedarnath Temple, and is a popular destination for Hindu pilgrims from all over the world, being one of the four major sites in India's Chota Char Dham pilgrimage.
Kedarnath Mandir is one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and is located atop the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand in India. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open only between the end of April to start of November. Here god Shiva is worshipped as Kedarnath, the 'Lord of Kedar Khand', the historical name of the region.
The temple is not directly accessible by road and has to be reached by a 14 km uphill trek from Gaurikund. The temple is believed to have been built by Adi Sankaracharya and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest Hindu shrines of Shiva. The older temple existed from the times of Mahabharata, when the Pandavas are supposed to have pleased Shiva by doing penance in Kedarnath. The temple is also one of the four major sites in India's Chota Char Dham pilgrimage of Northern Himalayas.
General Information
Kedarnath Mandir is one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and is located atop the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand in India. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open only between the end of April to start of November. Here god Shiva is worshipped as Kedarnath, the 'Lord of Kedar Khand', the historical name of the region.
The temple is not directly accessible by road and has to be reached by a 14 km uphill trek from Gaurikund. The temple is believed to have been built by Adi Sankaracharya and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest Hindu shrines of Shiva. The older temple existed from the times of Mahabharata, when the Pandavas are supposed to have pleased Shiva by doing penance in Kedarnath. The temple is also one of the four major sites in India's Chota Char Dham pilgrimage of Northern Himalayas.
General Information
State : Uttarakhand
Altitude : Badrinath - 3133 mts, Kedarnath - 3581 mts
Temperature : Summer Max. 17.9, Min.5.9
Best Season : May to October is the best season for both the places
Language : Hindi, Garhwali, English
Best Time to Visit : May to September/October
Best Time to Visit : May to September/October
STD Code : Badrinath 01381, Kedarnath 01372
Accessibility
Accessibility
There are 2 ways to reach Kedarnath: 1) By foot for a steep 14 km trek through a paved path (horses or palanquins are available for rent) from Gaurikund, which is connected by road from Rishikesh, Haridwar, Dehradun and other known hill stations of Garhwal and Kumaon regions in Uttarakhand 2) Through air travel. Recently government has started Pawan Hans Helicopter Service from Agastyamuni and Phata to Kedarnath. The fare is reasonable.
Rail : The convenient railhead to both the places is Haridwar, where regular bus services, conducted tours & taxis are available to Badrinath (293 kms), Kedarnath (256 kms), Gangotri (248 kms) & Yamunotri (237 km).
Road : Kedarnath is connected by road with Rishikesh (226 km), Delhi (450 km), Haridwar (250 km), Kotdwara (256 km), Badrinath (242 km), Gangotri is connected by road to Rishikesh (248 km) and Delhi (472 km).
Overview
The Kedarnath Temple
The actual temple is an impressive stone edifice of unknown date. According to the Puranas, the Pandava brothers performed penance in Kedarnath to please Lord Shiva. As a matter of fact, as one enters the main temple, the first hall contains statues of the five Pandava brothers, Lord Krishna, Nandi, the vehicle of Shiva and Virabhadra, one of the greatest guards of Shiva. An unusual feature of the temple is the head of a man carved in the triangular stone fascia of the temple. Such a head is seen carved in another temple nearby constructed on the site where the marriage of Shiva and Parvati was held. No Specific family of pujaris supervise rituals at Kedarnath, where the focus is on veneration of the stone lingam that rests in the inner sanctum of the temple. The head priest (Rawal) of the Kedarnath temple belongs to the Namboothiri community, like the nearby Badrinath Temple. The Rawal moves along with the deity to Ukhimath during the winter season.
Behind the temple is the samadhi mandir of Adi Sankara.
During winter due to heavy snowfall, the Temple is closed and no one stays in Kedarnath. For six months (November to April) the Palki of Lord Kedarnath is transferred to a place near Guptakashi called Ukhimath. People shift their settlement too from Kedarnath to nearby villages. Around 360 families of Tirtha Purohit of 55 villages and other nearby villages are depend on Kedarnath.
The temple opens on Akshaya Tritiya (April end or first week of May) and closes on Bhai Duj (October end or 1st week of November) due to heavy snowfall and extreme cold weather during winter. Gaurikhund is 75 km from Rudraprayag. In between Rudraprayag and Kedarnath there are several places of pilgrimage such as Agastyamuni, Ukhimath, Phauli- Pasalat Devi Maa, Bamsu (Lamgoundi) Vanasur, Maa Kali at Kalimath, Trijugi Narayan (7 km from Son Prayag) (Where Lord Shankar got married to Goddess Parwati from when the fire of hawan kund is still alive) and Kashi Vishwanath at Guptakashi.
There are several guest houses in Kedarnath like Birla House, Sanjay Shukla Lodge, Maharastra Mandal, Kali Kamali Dharmasala etc. All of them have nominal charges and provide lodging as well as food. pooja /prasad (shukla pooja prasad center near birla mangal niketan) In Kedarnath Udak Kund is located. It is written in Kedar Khand of Shiv Mahapuran that the water of Udak Kund is mixture of all the 5 Oceans and always remain fresh even when kept for many years. The holy water of Udak Kund is used for purification rituals. Hans Kund, Bharo Nath, Navdurga Mandir, Shankaracharya Samadhi, Ishaneswar Mahadev Temple, Ret Kund, Panch Ganga Sangam, Chaurwari Taal now known as Gandhi Sarowar, Bashuki Taal are also places to visit here.
Places Of Interest - Kedarnath
Gandhi Sarovar - About three kilometers away in the valley formed by the Kedarnath massif, is Chorabhari Tal. This lake has been renamed Gandhi Sarovar after the Mahatma's ashes were immersed in Lake. According to the legend this is where Yudhishthir, the eldest of the Pandavas, is said to have departed to heaven.
Gaurikund - Base for a trek to Kedarnath & serves as a roadhead, the village has hot springs of medicinal values & a temple dedicated to Gauri.
Vasuki Tal - Vasuki Tal is 6 km. at 4135 m above sea level, this lake is extraordinary, surrounded by high mountains and offering an excellent view of the Chaukhamba peaks.
Triyuginarayan - Triyuginarayan is the mythological venue where the wedding of Lord Shiva and Parvati was solemnized. It is a short trek of 5 km from Son Prayag. An eternal flame, which is said to have been the witness to the marriage, burns in front of the temple even today.
Gupt Kashi - Gupt Kashi is 49 km Famous for the temples of Ardhnarishwar and Vishwanathji.
Ukhimath - 60 km winter home of Lord Kedarnath temple, and the seat of the Rawal of Kedarnath during winter months.
Chopta - Situated on the Gopeshwar Ukhimath road about 40 km from Gopeshwar at an altitude of about 2500 m above sea level, Chopta is one of the most picturesque spots in the entire Garhwal region. It provides a breathtaking view of Himalayan ranges surrounding it
Deoria Tal - At an altitude of 2,440 m, this beautiful lake is situated on the Chopta - Ukhimath motor road. In the early morning, the snow-capped peaks are clearly reflected on the lake waters. This lake also provides an excellent venue for angling, as well as bird watching.
Panch Kedar - The five most important temples of Lord Shiva are in garhwal Himalayas.
The Kedar Massif - This is an outstanding massif formed by the three major mountains - Kedar Dome. Bharatekuntha at 6578 M is connected to Kedarnath to the East, by a long and dangerous avalanche ridden ridge. At 6000 meters it looks stunning and has several glacial flows, one of which is the Mandakini glacier running down its ridges. A deep ridge connects Kedarnath and Kedardome. Kedar Dome at 6831 Meters presents a fair challenge to climbers. Kedarnath is however, a difficult peak to climb. At 6940 Meters it is just beneath the level where the oxygen layer is thin. Anyone interested in a good day trek, could take the well-travelled path from behind the temple toward Bharatekuntha.
Overview
The Kedarnath Temple
The actual temple is an impressive stone edifice of unknown date. According to the Puranas, the Pandava brothers performed penance in Kedarnath to please Lord Shiva. As a matter of fact, as one enters the main temple, the first hall contains statues of the five Pandava brothers, Lord Krishna, Nandi, the vehicle of Shiva and Virabhadra, one of the greatest guards of Shiva. An unusual feature of the temple is the head of a man carved in the triangular stone fascia of the temple. Such a head is seen carved in another temple nearby constructed on the site where the marriage of Shiva and Parvati was held. No Specific family of pujaris supervise rituals at Kedarnath, where the focus is on veneration of the stone lingam that rests in the inner sanctum of the temple. The head priest (Rawal) of the Kedarnath temple belongs to the Namboothiri community, like the nearby Badrinath Temple. The Rawal moves along with the deity to Ukhimath during the winter season.
Behind the temple is the samadhi mandir of Adi Sankara.
During winter due to heavy snowfall, the Temple is closed and no one stays in Kedarnath. For six months (November to April) the Palki of Lord Kedarnath is transferred to a place near Guptakashi called Ukhimath. People shift their settlement too from Kedarnath to nearby villages. Around 360 families of Tirtha Purohit of 55 villages and other nearby villages are depend on Kedarnath.
The temple opens on Akshaya Tritiya (April end or first week of May) and closes on Bhai Duj (October end or 1st week of November) due to heavy snowfall and extreme cold weather during winter. Gaurikhund is 75 km from Rudraprayag. In between Rudraprayag and Kedarnath there are several places of pilgrimage such as Agastyamuni, Ukhimath, Phauli- Pasalat Devi Maa, Bamsu (Lamgoundi) Vanasur, Maa Kali at Kalimath, Trijugi Narayan (7 km from Son Prayag) (Where Lord Shankar got married to Goddess Parwati from when the fire of hawan kund is still alive) and Kashi Vishwanath at Guptakashi.
There are several guest houses in Kedarnath like Birla House, Sanjay Shukla Lodge, Maharastra Mandal, Kali Kamali Dharmasala etc. All of them have nominal charges and provide lodging as well as food. pooja /prasad (shukla pooja prasad center near birla mangal niketan) In Kedarnath Udak Kund is located. It is written in Kedar Khand of Shiv Mahapuran that the water of Udak Kund is mixture of all the 5 Oceans and always remain fresh even when kept for many years. The holy water of Udak Kund is used for purification rituals. Hans Kund, Bharo Nath, Navdurga Mandir, Shankaracharya Samadhi, Ishaneswar Mahadev Temple, Ret Kund, Panch Ganga Sangam, Chaurwari Taal now known as Gandhi Sarowar, Bashuki Taal are also places to visit here.
Places Of Interest - Kedarnath
Gandhi Sarovar - About three kilometers away in the valley formed by the Kedarnath massif, is Chorabhari Tal. This lake has been renamed Gandhi Sarovar after the Mahatma's ashes were immersed in Lake. According to the legend this is where Yudhishthir, the eldest of the Pandavas, is said to have departed to heaven.
Gaurikund - Base for a trek to Kedarnath & serves as a roadhead, the village has hot springs of medicinal values & a temple dedicated to Gauri.
Vasuki Tal - Vasuki Tal is 6 km. at 4135 m above sea level, this lake is extraordinary, surrounded by high mountains and offering an excellent view of the Chaukhamba peaks.
Triyuginarayan - Triyuginarayan is the mythological venue where the wedding of Lord Shiva and Parvati was solemnized. It is a short trek of 5 km from Son Prayag. An eternal flame, which is said to have been the witness to the marriage, burns in front of the temple even today.
Gupt Kashi - Gupt Kashi is 49 km Famous for the temples of Ardhnarishwar and Vishwanathji.
Ukhimath - 60 km winter home of Lord Kedarnath temple, and the seat of the Rawal of Kedarnath during winter months.
Chopta - Situated on the Gopeshwar Ukhimath road about 40 km from Gopeshwar at an altitude of about 2500 m above sea level, Chopta is one of the most picturesque spots in the entire Garhwal region. It provides a breathtaking view of Himalayan ranges surrounding it
Deoria Tal - At an altitude of 2,440 m, this beautiful lake is situated on the Chopta - Ukhimath motor road. In the early morning, the snow-capped peaks are clearly reflected on the lake waters. This lake also provides an excellent venue for angling, as well as bird watching.
Panch Kedar - The five most important temples of Lord Shiva are in garhwal Himalayas.
The Kedar Massif - This is an outstanding massif formed by the three major mountains - Kedar Dome. Bharatekuntha at 6578 M is connected to Kedarnath to the East, by a long and dangerous avalanche ridden ridge. At 6000 meters it looks stunning and has several glacial flows, one of which is the Mandakini glacier running down its ridges. A deep ridge connects Kedarnath and Kedardome. Kedar Dome at 6831 Meters presents a fair challenge to climbers. Kedarnath is however, a difficult peak to climb. At 6940 Meters it is just beneath the level where the oxygen layer is thin. Anyone interested in a good day trek, could take the well-travelled path from behind the temple toward Bharatekuntha.
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