Kedarnath temple is located in Rudraprayag district in Uttarakhand. Very close to nature, Kedarnath is more of a religious place than a tourist place. Apart from roaming here and having fun, people mostly come with devotion. The Shivalinga located in the Kedarnath temple is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. It is the largest Shiva temple in Uttarakhand,
Kedarnath Dham and the temple is surrounded by mountains on three sides. On one side there is about 22,000 feet high Kedarnath, on the other side there is 21,600 feet high Khetkund and on the third side 22,700 feet high Bharatkund. It was founded by Adiguru Shankaracharya. The magnificent Mandakini river flows from near the temple. During summer, a large crowd of tourists visit this shrine to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva.
According to the Puraan’s story, on the Kedar Shringa of the Himalayas, the great sage Mahatrapasvi and incarnation of Lord Vishnu used to do penance. Pleased with his worship, Lord Shankar appeared and according to his request provided the bride to live forever as a Jyotirlinga. This place is located on the Kedarnath mountain Raja called Kedar in the Himalayas. The temple gates are closed during the winter season on the second day (Padwa) of Deepavali Mahaparva.
The temple is open for 6 months only during summer. This shrine remains closed during winters as the climate here becomes adverse due to heavy snowfall in the region. The priests close the honorary boards and take the Deity and punishment of God to Ukhimath under the mountain for 6 months. After 6 months, the doors of Kedarnath open in May. No one lives in and around the temple for 6 months, but wonder if the lamp keeps on burning continuously for 6 months.
Story of Kedarnath
The Pandavas wanted to get rid of the sin of fratricide when they were victorious in the war of Mahabharata. For this he wanted to get the blessings of Lord Shankar, but he was angry with them. Therefore, Lord Shankar settled in Kedar after being imparted. The Pandavas followed them to Kedar.
By then Lord Shankar took the form of a buffalo and he joined other animals. So Bhima took his huge form and spread his legs on two mountains. All the other cattle and buffaloes went out, but the buffaloes like Shankar Ji were not ready to go under the feet. Bhima forcefully pounced on this buffalo, but the buffalo began to penetrate the land. Then Bhima took hold of the triangular back of the bull.
Lord Shankar was pleased to see the devotion and determination of the Pandavas. He immediately freed the Pandavas from sin by giving darshan. Since, that time, Lord Shankar is worshiped in Shri Kedarnath in the form of a buffalo’s back.
How to reach in Kedarnath
By Train: Rishikesh railway station is the nearest railway station. From here, you will take a taxi and reach Gaurikund, after that from there to Kedarnath Dham.
By Bus: Journey by bus is very beautiful as the entire route passes through the ghat. There are plenty of options to choose from A/C sleeper, non A/C sleeper, Volvo A/C, Volvo A/C and semi-sleeper buses. You can also take a bus from Haridwar to reach Kedarnath. The distance between Haridwar and Kedarnath is around 125 km and buses take about 5 hours to cover the distance.
By Air: Direct flight is not available. The nearest airport to Kedarnath is Jolly Grant Airport located at Dehradun. Public and Private Transports are available to reach Kedarnath from the airport.
By Helicopter: Kedarnath can be reached very easily via Helicopter services, which operates from various places in Uttarakhand. Some of the prominent places from where you can get Helicopter to Kedarnath are Dehradun, Guptkashi, Sirsi and Phata.
Accommodations
Apart from the guest house of GMVN, there are many clean hospices here. Apart from this, you will get free anchors from Gaurikund to Kedarnath, while tents are available for stay. You can also check your health before traveling.
Darshan Time and Aarti
The temple opens for visitors from 6.00 am. In the afternoon 3 to 4 special pujas tak place and then the temple is closed. The Temple is reopened at 5 pm for public viewing. The priests and servants of the temple duly adorn the five-faced statue of Lord Shiva, then in the evening there are 7 to 8 regular aarti. The temple is closed again after 8.30 pm.
Take Precautions Before Going Kedarnath Yatra
1.If a passenger has difficulty walking, then a helicopter is arranged for these people to reach the Kedaranath temple.
2. Do not hire ponies or horses from Sonprayag at all. This will add two more hours to your Kedarnath yatra. It is better to take a pony from Gaurikund or start your trek from here.
3.Start your journey from Gaurikund early in the morning, so that by noon you can reach the Kedaranath temple.
4.Do not take children below 12 years of age with you on Kedarnath Yatra. There is a lot of possibility of storm along with snow fall here. The oxygen level here is 3000 meters less.
5.For good communication network, you can take SIM with BSNL, Vodafone, Reliance and Jio. One of these sims will definitely work here.
6.Bring raincoats, quilts or jackets, wind sheets, medicines with your luggage.
7.Always carry your travel card & Aadhar Card with you in Kedarnath Yatra.
Visiting Places in Kedarnath
1. Gandhi Sarovar
Gandhi Sarovar is a small lake with crystal clear water. Gandhi Sarovar is also known as Chorbari Tal as it is situated on Chorbari glacier. Gandhi Sarovar is situated at an altitude of 3,900 meters above sea level on the peak of Kedarnath and Kirti Stambh.
2. Sonpryag
This is the place where the rivers Basuki and Mandakini meet. This place is popular due to the magical powers of water here. It is believed that only the touch of water of Sonprayag is the first step of Baikuntha Dham.
3. Vasuki Tal Lake
This lake is surrounded by the hills of the Himalayas, which adds beauty to its beauty. The magnificent Chaukhambha peak is also located near this lake. To reach Vasuki Tal, one has to cross the Chaturangi and Vasuki glaciers which require immense stamina. Suki Tal is located at a distance of 8 km from Kedarnath and 4135 m above sea level.
This lake is situated amidst the magnificent Himalayan ranges and is an important tourist destination of Uttarakhand. Travelers coming here can enjoy the beauty of the Chaukhambha peak located near the lake. Travelers have to cross the Chaturangi and Vasuki glaciers to reach this place. It is a difficult task to cross these glaciers and it requires immense strength and tolerance.
4. Gauri Kund
Gaurikund is a small village that serves as a trekking base for Kedarnath. Situated at a height of 1982 m, this place has a very old temple dedicated to the Hindu goddess Parvati. It is believed that this is the place where Goddess Parvati did penance to win the heart of Lord Shiva. In the area, there is a hot water fountain named Garikund, which not only has medicinal properties of water, but also gives the devotees freedom from their sins.
5. Bhairav Nath Temple
Bhairavnath Temple is situated at a distance of half a km from the Kedarnath Temple. This temple is dedicated to Lord Bhairava, one of the Hindu gods of destruction, Shiva. In 3001 BC, first Rawal or Rajput Shri Bhikund established the presiding deity in the temple. The presiding deity of the temple is also known as Kshetrapala or Kshetra. According to folklore, when Kedarnath temple is closed in winter, then Bhairavnath temple guards the premises.
6. Shankaracharya Samadhi
The samadhi of Adiguru Shankaracharya is located near the Kedarnath temple. Sri Shankaracharya was a famous Hindu saint who traveled far and wide to spread the knowledge of Advaita Vedanta. It is believed that he renovated the Kedarnath temple in the 8th century and established the four monasteries.
According to folklore, he started his journey from the Jyotirmath Ashram of Badrinath and then came to the hills of Kedarnath and made his last stop. According to folklore, Shankaracharya took samadhi at a young age of 32 after the discovery of the pilgrimage centers of Hindus i.e. Chardham.
7. Guptakashi
Guptkashi is a popular tourist attraction due to its famous old Vishwanath Temple, Manikarnik Kund and Ardhanarishwar Temple. The idol of Lord Shiva is installed in Ardhanarishwar temple as half male and half female. Vishwanath Temple is considered to be one of the many incarnations of the Hindu Lord Shiva.
According to folklore, this is the place where Hindu Lord Shiva hid for some time. Lord Shiva was also disguised as an ox in Kedarnath. Lord Shiva entered the earth to escape from the Pandavas. The hump of the bull remained on the surface, the hands of Lord Shiva were found at Tungnath, the face at Rudranath, the navel at Madhyameshwar and the head at Kalpeshwar. All these places later became shrines.
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