Kedarnath is one of the most sacred pilgrimages of Lord Shiva situated in Rudraprayag district of Garhwal region in Uttarakhand. Kedarnath is one of the Char Dham in Uttarakhand and the most important dham among Panch kedar. Kedarnath is situated at an altitude of 3586 mts, in the lap of the majestic mountain peaks and near the head of river Mandakini, Kedarnath range stands one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.
Kedar meaning powerful is another name of Lord Shiva the protector and the destroyer. The beautiful ambiance around the temple looks like quite peace on heaven causes a beautiful place to do meditation.The main attractions here is the Shiva Temple, which is a popular Hindu shrine and pilgrimage, attracting devotees from all over the world. The travel and tourism scope here is strengthened by factors like natural beauty and religious zest.
Shiva is considered the embodiment of all passions - love, hatred, fear, death and mysticism which are expressed through his various forms. There are more than 200 shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva in the area itself, the most important one is Kedarnath.
Kedarnath Temple is the most revered shrine of Hindu deity Lord Shiva. The Mandir was built in 8th century A.D. by Adi Shankaracharya. It is adjacent to the site of an earlier temple built by the Pandavas. Kedarnath is one of India’s most famous temples (more than 1000 years old temple) dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Kedarnath Temple complex is being rehabilitated after 2013 Kedarnath floods. New facilities include helipads, helipad and new guest houses. Online facilities for Kedarnath booking are also there. Kedarnath Puja can be book online and no physical presence of devotees needed. Some pujas could be book on the internet or in person. The daily pooja rituals at the Kedarnath temple start early morning, around 4.00 am with Maha Abhishek and end at around 7.00 pm with the Shyam aarti. The Kedarnath temple opens for darshan for the general public around 6 am.
Visitors can touch idle and perform Abhishek with Ghee before 3 p.m. After 5 p.m., no one can approach Idle, but they can get Darshan from a distance. The temple at Kedarnath opens only six months of the year when the sun enters the zodiac sign of Aries and Scorpio is in full-blown eclipse.
About Kedarnath Temple
Legend goes that, “Nara and Narayana performed severe penance in front of a Shivalingam fashioned out of earth”. Kedarnath is a well-known shrine for Lord Shiva devotees and Kedarnath temple history is almost more than 1000 years-old. Legend says they requested Shiva to take up a permanent abode as Jyotirlingam. Kedareshwar is a place where the Pandavas sought Shiva’s blessings.
According to another legend, Goddess Parvati worshipped Kedaeshwar to unite with Shiva as Ardhanareeswarar. Bhairon is a temple dedicated to Bhaironathji who is ceremoniously worshipped at the opening & closing of Kedarnath Temple. The belief is that Bhairavnathji protects this land from evil during the time when the temple is closed. Kedarnath is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas or the cosmic light.
The temple is over a thousand years old and is located in the Rudra Himalayas, northern India. It is home to the world's highest Jyotirlinga the Kedarnath lingam.
History of Kedarnath Dham
Kedarnath Temple Opening date depends on auspicious day of ‘Akshay Tritya’ and ‘Maha Shiva Ratri’, according to the calculations by Omkareshwar priests.
Kedarnath temple will open on 10 May 2024 at 6:20 AM in the morning with special Pooja in the temple.
In addition, the opening date of Kedarnath Dham has been declared on Mahashivratri. Kedarnath’s closing date has been set, and on the day of Bhai Dooj (the day after Diwali in November), the temple will be closed after Pooja archana in the morning. The opening of Kedarnath Kapaat is an auspicious occasion for numerous pilgrims visiting Kedarath from all over the country and the world. Pilgrims could only have darshan once priests had opened Puja at Kedartath Temple. Likewise, to the opening ceremony, closing ceremony is also grand. Garhwal Bands take Baba Kedar Doli to Winter Abode of Kedarnath i.e Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath.
Open/ Close Date of Kedarnath Temple
Kedarnath is a hindu religious place located in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag District. The holy town and one of the Char Dham are located in the Kedarnath Valley at an elevation of 3584 metres. It is accessible by Trek, Dandi, Kandi, or Helicopter. Kedarnath is well connected by road, air and rail. You can travel directly to Kedarnath from Haridwar, but it is also possible to spend at least one day there. The majority of the 240-kilometer ride is on a ghat road, with various mountains in the background and the Ganges River following you all the way. If your group is more than 5-6 people, you should consider renting a jeep. If you choose to drive your own vehicle/car, be sure it has adequate ground clearance because the path is littered with pebbles.
The Gaurikund is only 5 kilometres from Sonprayag, the Gaurika entrance. There is a fatak (gate) to ensure that pilgrims are dropped off at Sonprayag by buses and autos. There are shared taxis available, ensuring that traffic jams are kept to a minimum. Kedarnath is the highest mountain in the world, yet it is only accessible by a hard 18-kilometer hike through a paved trail from Gaurikund to Kumaon in Uttarakhand.
How to Reach Kedarnath
Kedarnath is a tourist place itself but near Kedarnath Dham, there are numerous other pilgrimage and tourist attractions, including high altitude lakes and trekking excursions. Places like Triyuginarayan, Guptkashi, Chopta, Deoria Tal, Panch Kedar, Chandrashila, Kalimath and Agastyamuni can also be visited during the Kedarnath trip. Triyuginarayan is the fabled spot where Lord Shiva and Parvati were married, and it is worth visiting to experience the vibe of this area.Chopta and Deoria Talare considered one of the most beautiful places in the Garhwal region. It offers a spectacular perspective of the Himalayan hills and gives you the feel of heaven.
Temples like Kedarnath, Madmaheshwar, Tungnath, Rudranath, Kalpeshwer are the must visit five most important temples of Lord Shiva in garhwal Himalayas. They are known as Panch Kedar to local people. Panch Kedar has a lot of significance in Uttarakhand.Besides the sacred feel, if someone have keen interest in architecture, they should go to Agasteshwar Mahadev temple which is dedicated to sage Agastya and is also of an archaeological significance, figures of Gods and Goddesses have been carved out on stones. Also, for more amazing and breath-taking views visit The Kedar Massif. It is an outstanding massif formed by the three major mountains Kedar dome, Bharatekunthaand Kedarnath. Kalimath.
Kedarnath Excursions
Devotees can now book advance online booking of Puja/ Bhog/ Paath/ Aarti at a fair price. There are several types of services available at these Chardham Temples in the region including Puja Paath and Bhog. It is fairly simple to book online and schedule Puja archanas in Kedarnath and Badrinath temples online. Pilgrims must submit an online payment for the puja/ paath/ aarti/ bhog that will be conducted on their behalf. The process if fairly simple and easy. First, register at the Badri-Kedar website, log in to the website, then choose Pooja/Bhog/Paath/Aarti. Enter your information and make an online payment. While sitting at home and with these simple steps, one may get the benefit of online booking.
For the most portion of the year, the weather in Kedarnath is cold. But Summer has a mild and pleasant environment, making it ideal for relaxing and visiting the Kedarath temple. During summers, the average temperature is around 17°C (°F).
Landslides are common during the monsoon season; hence tourists should avoid visiting Kedarnath Mandir during this time. End of July, August, and early September are monsoon months. Monsoon season (July to August) is accompanied by sporadic rainfall and temperature decreases to 12°C. Due to severe snowfall, the Kedarnath Temple is closed in the winter.
The temple doors are opened to pilgrims for a holy pilgrimage in May. In June, the Lord Kedarath Palki reopens.
Kedarnath has a cool environment for most of the year, and the ideal months to visit are “May, June, September, and October”. According to the forecast, “Rainy seasons should be avoided owing to land collapses in several spots along the Kedarnath path”.There are various tourist places, famous temples & treks in and near Kedarnath Dham. Pilgrims can visit those places during their Kedarnath or Char Dham Yatra.
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Have any questions related to visit Kedarnath Temple? Get clear your every doubts about Kedarnath Yatra and trek from these Frequently Asked Questions. Kedarnath FAQs are prepared to answer all major queries from a pilgrims point of view.
As per legends, when Pandavas came in search of Lord Shiva to please him by doing penance for the killing of their own brothers Kauravs in Mahabharath. Lord Shiva unwilling to give them forgiveness take a bull form to become unrecognizable but Pandavas recognize him. Then Lord Shiva tries to sink into the ground but Bhima grabs the hemp of the bull and Lord Shiva forgive them. Pandavas built the Kedarnath temple at the same location where the bull hemp is shown up. Other parts of the bull apears at four different location known as Panchkedar along with Kedarnath.
Lord Shiva is the diety of Kedarnath Dham. Lord Shiva is worshiped in Kedarnath in his Sadashiv form and it is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India.
Kedarnath Dham can be visited by taking bus to Sonprayag/ Guptkashi from Haridwar/ Delhi. From Sonprayag, shared taxi available till Gaurikund. Kedarnath Dham could be reach after 18 kms trek from Gaurikund. Helicopter service to Kedarnath Dham are also available from Sersi, Pahata & Guptkashi. Kedarnath Helicopter Packages
The best time to visit Kedarnath Dham is from April-June & Sept-Nov.
Minimum 4 days are needed to visit Kedarnath Dham from Haridwar bu bus/ taxi and 3 days for Helicopter tour to Kedarnath.
Although, Kedarnath road route is completely on hilly terrain, but Chardham road project makes it simple with wide roads. Apart from monsoon, Kedarnath road conditions are good. Latest Chardham Road Status
Kedarnath Dham has accommodation facilities of 4000-5000 pilgrims at a time. GMVN provides huts and camp facilities along with few Dharamshalas & Hotels in Kedarnath. Pilgrims can book accommodations from number of GMVN, Chardham Yatra websites or through travel agents. Best Kedarnath Yatra Packages
Kedarnath is located at high altitude, so sports shoes and warm clothes are always essential to visit Kedarnath Dham. Check Kedarnath Yatra Tips
For particularly the darshan at Kedarnath Temple depends on the rush. It takes around 2-4 hours to take complete darshan and puja at Kedarnath Temple. Check Puja Rates in Kedarnath
Kedarnath trek is 18 kms long. Check Kedarnath Trek Guide
Is Kedarnath Trek is Easy or Difficult?
The 18 km long Kedarnath trek starts from Gaurikund. It is neither easy for everyone and not tough for someone. The pathways is well built to walk and has gradual inclination towards Kedarnath Dham. One who want to do the Kedarnath trek must prepare self by doing regular exercise and walk/ run before a month.
Kedarnath Temple opening date decided on Mahashivratri every year and closed on Bhai Dooj. Generally Kedarnath Temple open in April-May and closed till Oct-Nov. Check Kedarnath Opening & Closing Dates
Kedarnath Dham is one of the Chardham in Uttarakhand, also called as Chota Chardham. It is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India, but not one of the Char Dham in India.
