Kedarnath Temple, Darshan Information

Kedarnath Temple

12 Jan

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Situated at a height of 3584 Metres, Kedranath is one of the 4 important 'char dhams' of India and one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. Kedarnath, part of the majestic Rudra Himalaya Range, is situated in the Uttar Kashi district of the northern state of Uttaranchal. It is located very close to the Indo-Chinese border and is source of the Mandakini River. Present temple was built by Adi Shankaracharya in 8th Century.

location Uttarakhand, Bageshwar, Dehradun

Legend

Legend has it that when the Pandavas sought penance for killing their loved ones in the great war of the Mahabharata, they came in search of Lord Shiva. Arriving at this very site they found that Shiva had elusively taken the form of a bull and Bhim, the strongest of the Pandavas, went after Shiva who dived deep into the ground. Only Shiva's tail was left in Bhim's hand. This spot is known as the Kedarnath and is also considered the main Kedar.

The rest of Shiva's body is believed to have emerged at four other places in Madhyamaheshwar, Tunganath, Kalpeshwar and Rudranath.

This Temple is part of :

12 Jyotirlinga Darsan Yatra.
Panch Kedar Yatra
Chota Chardham Yatra

Architecture

The exquisitely built Kedarnath temple is known to be more than 1000 years old. The present temple, built in 8th century A.D. by Adi Shankaracharya, stands adjacent to the site of an earlier temple, supposed to have been built by the Pandavas. Outside the temple door, a large statue of the Nandi Bull stands as guard. It is a temple made of extremely large, heavy and evenly cut grey slabs of stones. The temple has a "Garbha Griha" for worship and a Mandap, apt for assemblies of pilgrims and visitors. The linga here is different as it is a conical rock formation inside the temple.

Picture courtesy : commons.wikimedia.org

Culture

Kedarnath is a part of 'Chaar Dhaam' Yatra and naturally, one of the most spiritual locations in India. Moreover, it is the final resting place of Adi Shakracharya. Vedic philosophy and hindu ideologies are the way of the life. Long trek bring people from different states together and serve one ultimate spiritual objective. The entire valley looks like a never ending procession of merry pilgrims during the 'yatras'. Kedarnath has great religious significance as Pandavas came here for penance after the great Mahabharata was was over. Piety, spirituality, and religion are held in high regards.

Cafe Buransh
Cafe Buransh is situated above Sari, a tiny village hamlet located at an altitude of 2,000 m (6,000 ft) in the Uttarakhand Himalayas. Tungnath, the world's highest Shiva temple, situated in the Chopta Valley, is an hour's drive from here followed by a three-km hike or a pony ride. Shri. Kedarnath, one of the Char Dhams, is a 90 minute drive followed by the option you take to reach the destination: hike/helicopter/pony ride. Madhyamaheshwar - another Panch Kedar, Kali Math, Kali Shila, and Badrinath are also pilgrimage places which can be covered during your stay here. Deoria Tal, a high altitude lake with mythical connotations is a two hour uphill walk from Cafe Buransh.
How to Reach: People usually fly to Dehradun (connection flights available from Delhi) and take a 6 hour drive from Dehradun/Rishikesh. The drive covers holy places like Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Agustyamuni, and Ukhimath. The nearest rail-head is Haridwar (225 km).

Darsan Info

Temple is open from 4:00 AM to 3:00 PM and from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Temple is closed during Winters and opening times is announced as per astrological predictions. After the 2013 floods, there may be some inconveniences.

Photo Identity is compulsory for the devotees wishing to travel by a chopper.
People suffering with critical illnesses are advised to consult their doctor before commuting.