KEDARNATH TEMPLE

KEDARNATH TEMPLE

INTRODUCTION

  • Kedarnath temple is one of the sacred pilgrimage centres in Northern India, located on the bank of Mandakini river at an altitude of 3584 meters above sea level.
  • The historical name of this region is "Kedar Khand".
  • Kedarnath temple is a part of Char Dhams and Panch Kedar in Uttarakhand and one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva in India.

HISTORY

  • According to Mahabharata, the Pandavas had built the Kedarnath Temple where they pleased Lord Shiva with their penance.
  • The temple was revived by the great Hindu philosopher, Adi Shankaracharya in the 8 century CE, when he visited the place with his four disciples.
  • Sadly, the temple was hit by the catastrophic floods of 2013, which engulfed hundreds innocent lives

Mythology about Kedarnath

  • There is a famous Hindu mythology related to the origin of Kedarnath temple, which states that after the Mahabharata war, the Pandavas went on an anonymous journey to beg mercy from Lord Shiva.
  • After failing multiple times, Bhima was able to find Lord Shiva, who had incarnated as a bull to hide from the Pandavas. 
  • Bhima tried to catch it and hit its hind part with his mace.
  • The injured bull then immersed in the earth and its body parts appeared indifferent places.
  • It is believed that the hind part of the bull appeared at Kedarnath, from which a 'Jyotirlinga' or light flickered and Lord Shiva appeared in his divine avatar. 
  • It is said that after taking the blessings of the cosmic light, the Pandavas were exempted of their sins and Lord Shiva told them, “from now onwards, I will be present here as a triangular shaped Jyotir Linga and by paying obeisance at Kedarnath, the devotees would attain piety". From then onwards, a triangular shaped rock is worshiped in the 'Garbhagriha' or the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.
  • The other four parts of Lord Shiva fell at Tungnath, Rudranath, Madhmaheshwar and Kapleshwar.
  • Kedarnath along with these four are also described as Panch Kedar. 

FACTS

  • The Temple at Kedarnath presents an imposing sight, standing in middle of a wide plateau surrounded by lofty snow-covered peaks.
  • The temple was originally built in 8th century A.D. by Jagad Guru Adi Shankaracharya and stands adjacent to site of an even earlier temple built by the Pandavas.
  • The inner walls of the assembly hall are decorated with figures of various deities and scenes from mythology.
  • Outside the temple door a large statue of the Nandi Bafellow stands as guard.
  • Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Kedarnath temple has exquisite architecture Built of extremely large, heavy and evenly cut grey slabs of stones, it evokes wonder as to how these heavy slabs were moved and handled in the earlier centuries.
  • The temple has a Garbha Griha for worship and a Mandap, apt for assemblies of pilgrims and visitors.
  • A conical rock formation inside the temple is worshipped as Lord Shiva in his Sadashiva form.
  • Kedarnath Temple Closing date for 2021:  Kedarnath Temple will be closed for winters on the day of Bhai Dooj on 06 November 2021. Shri
  • Kedarnath Temple will remain closed for winters for almost six months and will reopen in the last week of April 2022 or early May 2022.

WEATHER/ CLIMATE

Winter (October to April)

  • Winters has chilly days.
  • Minimum can touch sub-zero levels and snowfall is very common.
  • These months are not the perfect time for travelling.

Summer (May to June)

  • Summer are very pleasant with moderately cold climate.
  • Summers is ideal for all sightseeing and the holy Kedarnath pilgrimage.

Monsoon (July to mid-September)

  • Monsoon are accompanied with regular rains and also temperature drops down.
  • The region is prone to occasional landslides and travelling can be difficult.

 

  1. The holy city of Kedarnath is open for public views from May to October/November but the temple remains closed during the monsoon months as landslides are common.
  2. The region experiences pleasant and cool summer while winters are very chilly and snowfall is a regular occurrence.

HOW TO REACH

By Flight:

  • Jolly Grant Airport (35 kms from Dehradun) is the nearest Airport to Kedarnath situated at a distance of 235kms.
  • Jolly Grant Airport is well connected to Delhi with daily flights.
  • Gaurikund is well connected by motorable roads with Jolly Grant Airport.
  • Taxis are available from Jolly Grant Airport to Gaurikund.

 By Train:

  • The nearest railway station to Gaurikund is Rishikesh.
  • Rishikesh railway station is situated 243kms before Gaurikund on NH58.
  • Rishikesh is well connected by railway networks with major destinations of India.
  • Trains to Rishikesh are frequent. Gaurikund is well connected by motorable roads with Rishikesh.
  • Taxis and buses are available from Rishikesh, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Tehri and many other destinations to Gaurikund.

 By Road:

  • Gaurikund is well connected by motorable roads with major destinations of Uttarakhand state.
  • Buses to Haridwar, Rishikesh and Srinagar are available from ISBT Kashmiri Gate New Delhi.
  • Buses and Taxis to Gaurikund are easily available from major destinations of Uttarakhand state like Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Pauri, Rudraprayag, Tehri etc.
  • Gaurikund is connected with Ghaziabad by National Highway 58.

 ACCOMMODATIONS

  • Following options of accommodation are available at Sh Kedarnath & nearby places.
  • Dharamshalas of various organizations at nominal charges.
  • Accommodation at Nearby Places
  • As Shri Kedarnath Dham is at High altitude, Piligrims can stay at following nearby places and complete Kedarnath darshan in a Single day trip by Helicopter/Pony

  1. Sitapur (near Sonprayag)(Around 20 Km from Kedarnath): Private Hotes are available at Sitapur.
  2. UCDDMB Guest Houses at Sonprayag & Guptkashi: Guest houses of UCDDMB are available both at Sonprayag & Guptkashi. These accommodations can be booked online using Online Accommodation Booking Facility Given of this portal.

Activities in Kedarnath

Pilgrimage

  • Perched at an altitude of 3,500 meters, Kedarnath is one of the most revered Hindu shrines and thousands of pilgrims partake in arduous pilgrimage every year.
  • The shrine sleeps under a thick blanket of snow during winters.

Trekking

  • Kedarnath temple is located 19 km from Gaurikund, the nearest town with road connectivity.
  • Thus, one has to trek 16 kms to the Kedarnath shrine making it a wonderful trekking experience.
  • You can also extend your treks to Chorabari Tal, Vasuki Tal and Bhairon mandi in Kedarnath

Camping in Kedarnath

  • Since there is only little accommodation at Kedarnath, tourists and pilgrims can also set up tents near the town and enjoy the natural beauty that envelops the town as well as the towering Kedarnath peak in the background.

NEAR BY DESTINATION

1. Guptkashi

  • Guptakashi, Gupta Kashi or Guptkashi is a fairly large town located at an elevation of 1,319 metres in the Kedar-khanda, in Garhwal Himalayas of Rudraprayag district in Uttrakhand, India.
  • It is known for its ancient Vishwanath Temple dedicated to the god Shiva, which is similar to the one in Varanasi.

2. Chopta

  • Chopta is a small region of meadows and evergreen forest area, a part of Kedarnath wildlife sanctuary located in Uttarakhand state, India and a base for trekking to Tungnath, the third temple of Panch Kedar which lies 3.5 kilometres away.

3. Gangotri

  • Gangotri is a town and a Nagar Panchayat in Uttarkashi district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is a Hindu pilgrim town on the banks of the river Bhagirathi and origin of river Ganges. It is on the Greater Himalayan Range, at a height of 3,100 metres.

KEDARNATH TRAVEL TIPS

  • One can also find mules and porters for hire; Check the official price chart before hiring.
  • For safety, reason do check the ID Cards issued to Porters and Mule Owners.
  • When traveling in monsoons, check with local authorities, tour guides or tour operators about the weather and road conditions before you actually start your journey.
  • Photography is generally not allowed inside the temple due to religious reasons. It would be wise to abide by the rules set up by temple authorities.
  • Weekends/Long weekends are so crowded, Weekdays are not so crowded. Also, the temple closed on Mid-November.
  • After mid-October the night temperature will drop into minus, so carry enough woollens, plus avoid going around DIwali, it’s the most crowded time. Go 10-15 days before Diwali.

Easy way to visit Kedarnath Temple

  • If you are unable to do a hard trekking of more than 16 kms to reach Kedarnath temple then you have to take the help of a pony to reach there.
  • They charge around Rs. 2500 to Rs. 3000 for one side but there is an easy way to reach Kedarnath temple.
  • Book your hotel to Phata which is close to Kedarnath
  • Book a Helicopter service to Kedarnath from Phata which charge around Rs. 7000 of both sides almost like the rate of pony but it will save your time and efforts to reach Kedarnath.
  • Do the darshan and reach at Kedarnath Helipad to come back to Phata.
  • In-case if you have low budget then book Helicopter from Sersi, it will cost you around Rs. 2500 for one side & come back through trekking route because walking to down is easier than climbing
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Thank You
                    - RD


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