Kedarnath Jyotirlinga Temple

Kedarnath temple is one of the twelve jyotirlinga temples which is located at the source of the Mandakini river on the Garhwal Himalayan range. The temple is located at a height of 11,800 ft. According to the sacred text, ‘Kashi Kedara Mahatmya’, the temple is associated with moksha (liberation), because ‘the crop of liberation’ grows here. The name Kedara means ‘field’ and natha means ‘lord’, hence ‘Kedarnath’ means “the lord of the field”. It is believed that Pandavas worshipped Lord Shiva in Kedarnath.

About Kedarnath Temple

Kedarnath temple is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga temples dedicated to Lord Shiva located on the Himalayan range on the bank of Mandakini river in Kedarnath in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Kedarnath means the lord of the hill and it is believed that the temple is built by Pandavas in Dwapara Yuga and revived by Adi Shankaracharya.

The unique feature of this temple is that it is opened only for six months, due to extreme weather conditions. It will be open to the public between April (during Akshaya Tritiya) and November (Karthik Purnima). For the rest of the year, the temple is closed for pilgrims as the temple is covered with snow completely. During this time, the deity of the temple is taken to Ukhimath, where they worship for the next six months. And, in the Kedarnath temple, they light a traditional lamp called ‘Nanda Deepa’, which will be burning until the temple is opened again.

Kedarnath temple is located within majestic snow-clad Himalayan peaks surrounded by enchanting scenery. Thousands of pilgrims visit the shrine every year.

Kedarnath temple is one of the twelve jyotirlinga temples in India and also the most important temple among the Pancha Kedars (Five Shiva temples in Garhwal Himalayas). Also, Kedarnath is one of the four pilgrimage sites along with Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri of northern Himalayas and called Chota Char Dham.

What is Jyotirlinga

Kedarnath Temple is one of the 12 jyotirlingas in India, where it is believed that the supreme deity of Hinduism, Lord Shiva himself resides in different manifestations in the form of linga. Jyotirlinga means a column of light. Lingam signifies the infinite nature of Lord Shiva, without the beginning and the end. According to ancient scripture, Shiva Puran and Nandi Puran, Lord Shiva will have a presence all over the space. However, his presence will be felt more in these jyotirlingas. In all these places, Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of Lingam.

History and Architecture of Kedarnath Temple

The Kedarnath temple was originally built in the 8th century AD by Adi Shankaracharya and stands adjacent to the earlier temple believed to be built by Pandavas.

The Kedarnath temple is constructed in a quadrangular shape. The exterior of the temple looks simple but the interior looks amazing. The temple is built with large, heavy, and evenly cut grey slabs of stones, over a large rectangular platform. The temple is ascended through large steps which leads to the garbha grih. There are inscriptions written in the Pali language on the steps. The lingam is present in the form of a large rock in the garbhagriha. The inner walls are decorated with beautiful sculptures of deities of various Gods. There is a hall (mandap) outside the sanctum, for pilgrims to sit.

There is also a statue of Lord Shiva inside the temple. There is also a beautiful stone statue of Goddess Parvati. There are idols of Sri Krishna, Pandavas, and Kunti in the mandap (hall). Also, a large statue of Nandi is installed in front of the temple.

Legend behind Kedarnath Temple

According to Shiva Puran, once twin brothers Nar and Narayan, who are incarnations of Lord Vishnu, worshipped Lord Shiva in the Badrika forest area of the Himalayas. They established a shiva linga and performed severe penance. Pleased with their devotion, Lord Shiva appeared and granted them a boon. They both asked Lord Shiva to stay there and bless the people forever. Upon their request, Shiva agreed and established himself in the form of jyotirlinga.

Another very interesting story about the Kedarnath temple has been mentioned in the scriptures. After the final battle of the Kurukshetra war of epic Mahabharata, on the advice of Krishna, the Pandavas worshipped Lord Shiva to absolve from the sin committed by killing the Kaurava brothers. However, Lord Shiva was not interested in giving darshan, so he hid somewhere. But somehow Pandavas discovered him and requested him to stay there. It is believed that Pandavas built a temple at this place.

2013 Natural Disaster

In the year 2013, a cloud burst in Uttarakhand caused devastating floods and landslides. All the surrounding areas of the temple got completely destroyed in the floods. However, miraculously the temple was saved from a huge rock, which came down the mountain and stopped short a few meters from the temple. The boulder had diverted the flow of the water and the temple was saved. People started praying to that stone and called as ‘Bhim Shila’.

Kedarnath Temple Timings

Darshan Timings - 4 AM to 9 PM
Entry Fee - Free; VIP Darshan -Rs. 2000/-
Time Required - 1 - 2 Hour
Special Poojas -Mahabhishek, Rudrabhishek Shravani Pujan, Deepmalika Puja
Special Days – Maha Shivaratri
Best time to Visit - April to June and September to November
Travel Tip – The temple can be reached by 16 km trekking or alternately book a helicopter for about Rs. 5000/-

How to reach Kedarnath Temple

The temple is not directly accessible by road. Gaurikund is the nearest place where the motorable road ends. After that, the temple can be reached by a 16 km uphill trek from Gaurikund.

By Air - The nearest airport is Jolly Grant airport at Dehradun, which is about 250 km from the temple. There are daily flights from Delhi to Jolly Grant airport. You can hire a taxi from Dehradun to Gaurikund.
By Train - The nearest railway station is the Rishikesh railway station, which is situated at a distance of 240 km. Another station is Haridwar Railway station, which is situated at a distance of 260 km.
By Road - Gaurikund is well connected with other cities. Buses and taxis are available from Haridwar, Rishikesh, Dehradun, or other parts of Uttarakhand.

Significance of Kedarnath Temple

--> The lingam at Kedarnath is in the form of a pyramidal structure, unlike other jyotirlingas.

--> The head priest of the Kedarnath temple belongs to the Veerashaiva community from Karnataka. There are five main priests in the temple and they become head priests for one year by rotation. During the winter season, the head priest carries the deity of the temple to Omkareshwar temple in Ukhimath. During the winter season, all the rituals are performed in Ukhimath.

--> Adi Shankaracharya is believed to have attained Mahasamadhi at Kedarnath.

Places near Kedarnath Temple

The Holy town of Kedarnath offers a wide variety of activities for both pilgrims and tourists. There are many pilgrimage and tourist spots in Kedarnath.

Bhairavnath Temple

Bhairavnath temple is located very close to the Kedarnath temple. The deity of the temple, Lord Bhairav is considered the protector of the Kedarnath temple. He is also called ‘Kala Bhairav’. It is believed that during the winter season when the main temple is closed, it is Lord Bhairav, who protects the Kedarnath Dham. Bhairava is the fierce manifestation of the guardian deity of Lord Shiva and he is also called ‘kshetrapala’. He is depicted as fierce, eyes filled with anger, with many kinds of weapons, and with a smile on his face. The dog is his vehicle. He looks threatening to the wrongdoers and protects the people of righteous nature.
Shankaracharya Samadhi

Shankaracharya Samadhi is the place where Adi Shankara attained maha samadhi at this place. It is located behind the Kedarnath temple. Adi Shankaracharya is a great philosopher and proponent of Advaita philosophy. He has played a great role in unifying Hindu society and establishing many Hindu organizations. He has revived many temples all over India including the Kedarnath Jyotirlinga temple. After awakening a spiritual consciousness in society, he attained moksha at the age of 32.
Gaurikund Temple

Gaurikund is the starting point of the trek to the Kedarnath temple. There is a temple in Gaurikund dedicated to Goddess Gauri (or Parvati). It is believed that Goddess Parvati did penance to win the heart of Lord Shiva. There used to be a kund (lake) before the 2013 flash floods. There is a stream of hot water flowing at this place.
Sonprayag

Sonprayag is located between Gaurikund and Rudraprayag en route to Kedarnath dham. It is a place where the river Mandakini meets the river Basuki. It is a beautiful place with snow-covered mountains and a beautiful river. It is believed that one will attain moksha by taking a dip in this river.
Triyugi Narayan Temple

Triyugi Narayan temple is a prominent place for devotees located in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. Lord Vishnu is the main deity of this temple. It is believed that Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati got married in this place and witnessed by Lord Vishnu. It is believed that Lord Vishnu did all the arrangements of the wedding and hence Triyugi Narayan temple was built in his honor. Another attraction of the temple is the uninterrupted fire that burns in front of the temple. It is believed that this fire has been burning from the time of this divine marriage. Therefore, this place has become popular for weddings also
Vasuki Tal Lake

Vasuki Tal is a beautiful lake situated at an altitude of 4,135 m above sea level at a distance of 8 km from Kedarnath. You can enjoy the mind-blowing scenery and snowy mountain peaks. Brahma Kamal and other rare flowers can be seen around the lake. The lake is named after the serpent king Vasuki, who is coiled around Lord Shiva’s neck.