Kedarnath

 

Kedarnath is a divine Hindu settlement situated in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. It is one of the Char Dhams located in the Himalayas, and is situated at an astounding height of 3584 meters above sea level near the head of Mandakini River.

The Kedarnath temple lies amidst the majestic snow-capped Garhwal Himalayan ranges and is thronged by thousands of tourists and pilgrims each year. Also, the Kedarnath trek is stunningly beautiful and quite eclectic, even in the trekking circuit.

About Kedarnath

Kedarnath literally means the Lord of the field, and it is so called because the “crop of liberation” grows here. While it is not certain who constructed the temple or when! One of the earliest references of Kedarnath is in the 7th or 8th century. It is also believed that Adi Shankara died near the sanctuary.

History & Mythology

It is believed that post the battle of Kurukshetra, Pandavas went on a journey to Banaras in order to repent killing their own and seek blessings from the Lord. But, Shivji wanted to avoid meeting with the brothers, and thus, took solace in Guptakashi.

However, Pandavas were relinquishing in their search for the Lord and when they found him, Shivji decided to take the form of buffalo so that they couldn’t recognize him. Now, when Shivji saw the Pandavas approaching closer, he wanted to hide even further.

Thus, He took the decision to also become invisible by way of going underground. However, brother Bhīma tried hard to stop him from leaving by holding on to the legs and tail of the bull. Unfortunately, the Lord dived and evaporated at that place leaving behind his hump which is now worshipped at Kedarnath Temple.

It is however believed that through cosmic energy, the Pandavas were exempted from their sins and Shivji informed that from then onwards He would be present in Jyotirlinga form at Kedarnath.

Location

Located in the Rudraprayag district, Kedarnath is the most remote of all Chota Char Dham sites. Situated near the Chorabari Glacier – the source of the Mandakini river, Kedarnath is flanked by snow-capped peaks – most prominently the Kedarnath mountain (6,940 mts) and the Kedar Dome (6,831 mts). Located at a distance of 223 KM from Rishikesh, the town is built on a barren stretch of land on the shored of the river.

Best time to visit Kedarnath

Right at the beginning of the season in April till the onset of monsoons and post-monsoon till close of the season. Kedarnath has a cold climate for most part of the year and the best months to travel are May, June, September, October.