Heritage · Faith · Tradition
About the Temple
Introduction
Kedarnath Temple, the shrine of Lord Shiva as Sri Kedareshwar, is one of the holiest places in Hinduism. It is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, the most important of the Panch Kedar temples, and one of the four shrines of the Uttarakhand Char Dham Yatra. The temple stands at about 3,580 metres in the Garhwal Himalayas of Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand, near the source of the Mandakini river, with snow-covered peaks rising behind it. Because of the harsh winter, the temple is open only for about six months each year, from around late April or May until around October or November.
Main Deity and Worship
The Lingam at Kedarnath is unlike the smooth, cylindrical Lingams of most temples. It is a natural, self-manifested (Swayambhu) rock with an irregular, hump-like shape, worshipped as the hump of Lord Shiva in the form of a bull. Devotees touch the Lingam, offer ghee and pour holy water on it as part of their worship. Within the temple there are also images of Goddess Parvati, the five Pandava brothers, Draupadi and Lord Krishna.
The temple's chief priest, the Rawal, traditionally comes from the Veerashaiva tradition of Karnataka – a living link between the Himalayas and the South. The temple is administered by the Shri Badrinath–Kedarnath Temple Committee.
Sthala Puranam (Legend)
After the Kurukshetra war, the Pandavas wished to be freed from the sin of having killed their own kin, and set out to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva. Shiva, unwilling to grant them darshan so easily, took the form of a bull and hid among the cattle in the Himalayas. Bhima recognised him and tried to hold the bull, which began to sink into the ground. Only its hump remained above the earth at Kedarnath, and that hump is worshipped here as the Lingam.
The other parts of the divine bull are said to have appeared at four more places, which together with Kedarnath form the Panch Kedar: the arms at Tungnath, the face at Rudranath, the navel at Madhyamaheshwar and the matted hair at Kalpeshwar. Pleased with their devotion, Shiva freed the Pandavas of their sin, and tradition holds that they built the first temple here.
Kedarnath is also counted among the 12 Jyotirlingas – the places where Shiva manifested as an endless pillar of light.
History
The present stone temple is believed to be more than a thousand years old, and tradition associates its revival with Adi Shankaracharya, the great 8th-century philosopher. His samadhi is located just behind the temple, where a statue of the Acharya now stands.
In June 2013, devastating floods and landslides struck the Kedarnath valley, causing great loss of life and destroying much of the town. The temple itself survived. Devotees believe that a large boulder, now revered as Bhim Shila, came to rest just behind the temple and diverted the floodwaters around it. Since then, the town and the pilgrimage route have been extensively rebuilt.
Architecture
The temple is built of large, heavy grey stone slabs, fitted together to withstand the extreme Himalayan climate. It has a garbhagriha (sanctum) and a mandapa (hall), and is approached from the front, where a large stone Nandi faces the sanctum. Its simple, massive form against the backdrop of the Kedar peaks makes it one of the most striking sights in the Himalayas.
Opening, Closing and Winter Seat
- Opening: the temple doors usually open around late April or May. The exact date is announced each year by the temple committee.
- Closing: the doors usually close around late October or November, on Bhai Dooj, a couple of days after Diwali, as winter sets in.
- Winter worship: when the temple closes, the utsava murti (festival idol) of Lord Kedarnath is carried in a ceremonial palanquin procession to the Omkareshwar Temple at Ukhimath, where he is worshipped throughout the winter months.
How to Reach
By Road: Kedarnath cannot be reached by vehicle. The road ends at Gaurikund, via Rishikesh, Rudraprayag and Guptkashi. Private vehicles park at Sonprayag, from where shared jeeps run to Gaurikund.
The trek: from Gaurikund, a paved trekking path of about 16 km climbs to the temple. Pilgrims walk, or hire ponies, palanquins (dolis) or porters (pithoos).
By Helicopter: helicopter services operate to Kedarnath from helipads in the Guptkashi–Phata–Sersi area during the yatra season, subject to weather. Bookings are made only through the official channels authorised by the Uttarakhand government.
By Train: the nearest major railway stations are Rishikesh (Yog Nagari Rishikesh) and Haridwar, both a long day's drive from Gaurikund.
By Air: the nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport (DED), Dehradun, about 240 km by road to Gaurikund, followed by the 16 km trek.
Visitor Information
- Registration: registration for the Char Dham Yatra with the Uttarakhand government is mandatory for every pilgrim. Please register before you travel.
- Health: Kedarnath is at high altitude. Acclimatise on the way, walk slowly, stay hydrated, and consult a doctor before the trip, especially if you have heart or breathing conditions.
- Weather: it is cold even in summer and the weather changes quickly. Carry warm clothes, rain gear and good walking shoes.
- Best time to visit: May–June and September–October. Heavy rain in July and August can cause landslides and road closures.
- Nearby places: Bhairavnath Temple (above Kedarnath), Vasuki Tal, Gaurikund's Gauri Mata temple, Triyuginarayan (the wedding place of Shiva and Parvati), the Omkareshwar Temple at Ukhimath, and Shri Tungnath Temple – the highest Shiva temple in the world and another of the Panch Kedar.
