Kedarnath Jyotirlinga - Kedarnath, Uttarakhand


Kedarnath Jyotirlinga is the jyotirlinga of the Himalayan region. Kedarnath is located in the state of Uttarakhand. It is one of the four dhams of Uttaranchal.

The temple of Kedarnath is located at an altitude of 3,593 metres. There are other places of pilgrimage in Uttarakhand around the main temple of Kedarnath. Gauri Kund, Sonprayag, Guptakashi, Ukhimath, Panch Kedar etc. are also places of interest.

The Glory and beliefs of Kedernath Jyotirlinga

There is a legend that God Shiva appeared as Kedarnath Jyotirlinga after being pleased with the penance of a sage named Nar and Narayan. The other legend of the origin links to the Pandavas. The Pandavas wanted God Shiva’s blessings for the sin of fratricide. But, Shiva left for the Himalayas wanting to avoid the Pandavas. The Pandavas then went in search and reached the Himalayas where Shiva had taken the form of a bull.  As the legend goes, as he tried to escape, the Pandavas grabbed him by his back and that place was established as the Kedarnath. It is also believed that at the exact same time, the upper part of Shiva's body appeared in Kathmandu, Nepal, which is established as Pashupatinath, and his arms appeared in Tungnath, face in Rudranath and hair in Kalpeshwar. These five places make the Panch Kedar.

Adi Shankaracharya had renovated the Kedarnath temple. In June 2013, the lake above Kedarnath was flooded and all the structures around the temple were washed away except the main part of the Kedarnath temple that remained. Hindus take Badrinath and Kedarnath in Uttarakhand with utmost importance. Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri make up the four abodes of the Himalayas. Kedarnath pilgrimage is one of the main pilgrimages of Hindus.

How to reach Kedernath?

To visit Kedarnath, one has to reach Haridwar first. Transport services including bus and taxi are available from Haridwar and Rishikesh. One will need to walk on foot for 14 kilometres after reaching Gauri Kund. Horses, palanquins and other services are also available for those unable to travel on foot. One can travel from Haridwar to Kedarnath via Rishikesh, Devprayag, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Tilbada, Agastyamunikund, Guptakashi, Nala, Fata, Rampur, Sonprayag, Gaurikund, Rambada and Garudchatti. The Uttarakhand state government also operates helicopter services from Agastyamunikund among other places. Transport services can also be reserved from Haridwar and Rishikesh to Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri Chardham.

When to visit

The Kedarnath temple closes for six months during the winter. When the temple is closed in the winter, the five-faced idol of Kedarnath is brought to Ukhimath and worshiped regularly. Travelling to Kedarnath during winter is challenging due to snowfall. The temple is open only from April to November. Due to the high altitude of the Himalayas, it is still colder in other months.

Itinerary

Locations on Shiv Shakti Circuit

Shiv Shakti Circuit , Nepal

Shiv Shakti Circuit , India