Kedarnath is one of the most pious places for Hindus, located in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Kedarnath shrine is situated in the Garhwal Himalayan range near the holy Mandakini river. It is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, highly revered, and attracting millions of devotees each year. People with deep faith in Lord Shiva often visit the shrine to seek his blessings. Among Hindus, Kedarnath is considered to be a pilgrimage site, called the ‘Tirtha Yatra’.
Kedarnath temple is one of the four pilgrimage sites, which is the part of Uttarakhand Char Dham Yatra circuit or Chota Char Dham Yatra. This circuit commences with Yamunotri, followed by Gangotri and then Kedarnath, and ends with Badrinath. The name Kedarnath derives from a Sanskrit word, which means the “Lord of the field” where ‘Kedara’ means “field” and ‘Natha’ means “Lord”. Kedarnath weather conditions are so extreme, making it difficult for the pilgrimage. It receives heavy rainfall during the monsoon and significant snowfall in winter. The mountains in the backdrop of the temple are often covered with snow round the year. Due to its harsh weather conditions, the temple is open to the public for only six months.
Every year, on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, the temple portals are opened with all rituals and then closed in the month of November on Kartik Purnima. During winters, the shrine is inaccessible due to heavy snowfall and remains closed. However, during this period, one can worship the Lord Shiva at Ukhimath, which serves as a winter seat of Kedarnath. During winters, the idol of Kedar baba ceremonially moved to Ukhimath, where it is worshipped for the next six months. Nestled amidst snow-covered Himalayas, the shrine offers an awe-inspiring view that attracts visitors from far and wide. Its utmost serenity, makes it a perfect place for anyone to indulge in the devotion of God.
Legend has it that the temple was built by Adi Shankaracharya, while some believe it was constructed by the Pandavas. However, Mahabharata doesn’t mention anything about Kedarnath but its reference can be found in Skanda Purana, which speaks about a place Kedara, where Shiva releases Holy Ganges from his matted hairs.
According to folklore, after defeating Kauravas in the Mahabharata, the Pandavas are filled with grief and want to atone for their sins. For this, they sought the refuge of Lord Shiva. However, Shiva, displeased with Pandavas action during the Kurukshetra war, took the form of a bull to avoid them. After looking for Shiva here and their Pandavas reached Guptkashi, and suddenly Bhim saw a bull grazing near the field and recognized him Shiva immediately.
As soon as he tries to catch the bull, Shiva disappears and reappears in five parts in different locations. His hump appeared in Kedarnath, his arms in Tungnath, face in Rudranath, belly in Madmaheshwar, and his hair in Kalpeshwar. Nowadays, these places are prominent religious sites of Lord Shiva referred as Panch Kedar, where devotees can seek his blessings in different forms. Legend has it that, people who complete this Panch Kedar Circuit and conclude it with the blessing of Lord Hari at Badrinath can attain salvation.
Eric Shipton the English Mountaineer, recorded a tradition, hundreds of years ago, the priest of Badrinath used to hold services of both Kedarnath and Badrinath, travelling daily between the two temples. Kedarnath in itself is a prominent site that is frequented by many but there are some nearby attractions frequented most.
Among them Vasuki Tal, Chorabari Lake, Rudra Cave, Mayali Pass, Sumeru Parvat, Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi, Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Mount Kedarnath and Kedar Dome are some prominent places. Located around 254 km from Dehradun, the shrine can be accessible by road.
Bus, taxi, and other services are easily available from various parts such as Dehradun, Rishikesh, and Haridwar. However, the motorable road is not accessible directly to the temple and ends around 14 km before at Gaurikund. From Gaurikund, pilgrims can complete their journey through trekking. However, palanquin and pony services are also available for the pilgrims.
