Kedarnath Temple, situated in the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river, is a significant Hindu temple and one of the twelve jyotirlinga dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is located in the state of Uttarakhand, India.
History of Kedarnath Temple Uttarakhand India
According to a legend, Pandavas wanted to redeem themselves for the sins of having killed their own brothers during the Mahabharata Kurukshetra War (war between the Pandavas and Kauravas). Lord Shiva avoided them repeatedly and took refuge at Kedarnath in the form of a bull. As he was followed by the Pandavas, he dived into the ground, leaving behind his hump on the surface. This conical projection is worshipped here as the idol. The remaining portions of Lord Shiva are worshipped at four places, namely, the arms (bahu) at Tungnath Temple, mouth (mukha) at Rudranath, naval (nabhi) at Madmaheshwar and hair (jata) at Kalpeshwar. Kedarnath and these four shrines are treated as Panch Kedar.
Kedarnath Temple, Uttarakhand
As per Hindu legends, the temple was initially built by the Pandavas, and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest Hindu shrines of Shiva. The temple remains accessible to the general public from April (Akshaya Tritiya) to November (Kartik Purnima, the autumn full moon) due to the challenging weather conditions. However, during the winter months, the temple's deity is carried down to Ukhimath for worship over the following six months. Kedarnath is revered as a unified manifestation of Lord Shiva, known as the 'Lord of Kedarkhand', which refers to the historical name of the region.
How to Reach
The temple is not directly accessible by road and has to be reached by a 22 kilometres uphill trek from Gaurikund. Pony, mule and manchan service is available to reach the temple.
Nearest Airport to the Temple is Dehradun Airport also known as Jolly Grant Airport, Uttarakhand.
Nearest Railway Station is Rishikesh railway station.
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