About Kedarnath Dham

Devotees all over India have not been able to visit places of worship for a long time, but now with the government allowing them to open, many would be thronging these places. India is a country that has many temples dedicated to the many gods that are worshipped, and among the more prominent ones is the Kedarnath Temple.Also Read - Legend of Badrinath Temple: As Shrines Reopen Post COVID-19 Lockdown, Here's More History on The Famous Religious Place

Kedarnath Temple is a Hindu shrine located in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Due to the extreme weather conditions, it is open to the public only between the months of April and November. With its unpredictable weather, during the winters the deity is carried down to Ukhimath where it stays for six months. Also Read - Uttarakhand News: When are Badrinath, Kedarnath Opening Doors For Devotees? Know Here

The temple had in 2013 been hit with unprecedented flash floods that saw the loss of hundreds of lives and destruction of all the buildings that were there. The temple survived after a huge boulder got stuck behind it and diverted most of the water from hitting the building.

Location:

The precise location of the Kedarnath Temple is on the Garhwal Himalayan range on the shores of the Mandakini river, and it is not easily accessible by road. People have to trek for 22 kilometres uphill from Gaurikund, and those who cannot walk can either hire a pony or a manchan. The temple is the highest among the 12 Jyotirlingas in India, situated at a height of 11,755 feet.

History:

There is no known history of who built the original Kedarnath temple and when, but a theological account states that Shiva agreed to dwell there at the request of Nara-Narayana. Kedarnath derives its meaning from the Sanskrit words kedara (field) and natha (lord), which translate to ‘lord of the field’.

Legend:

According to legend, the first temple at Kedarnath was built by the Pandava brothers, who had gone there to seek forgiveness from Shiva for killing their kin during the Kurukshetra War. Shiva did not want to forgive them and disguised himself as a bull, and when they tracked him down, he tried to disappear by sinking into the ground head-first. Bhima, one of the Pandava brothers, managed to grab his tail before he disappeared, forcing him to appear and forgive them.

Kedarnath, a popular Hindu temple, tucked away in the lap of Garhwal Himalayas, some 221 km from Rishikesh in Uttarakhand, is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga temples of Lord Shiva. Lying against the backdrop of the magnificent Kedarnath Mandir Range, at an altitude of 3580 meters, the splendid Kedarnath Dham is where the devotees come seeking the blessings of Lord Shiva. Kedarnath Mandir is said to have been constructed by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century A.D. The nearby flowing Mandakini River, mesmerizing vistas and splendid sceneries in the form of the snow-clad mountains, rhododendron forests, and salubrious environment make Kedarnath Dham Yatra, a tranquil and picturesque place to be at.

The devotees experience immense peace of mind while undertaking a Kedanath temple spiritual tour. The temple and nature’s milieu is so divine that it always rekindles human beings’ faith in the Almighty. The temple has survived one of the worst flash floods in 2013 of all time in the state, hence enhancing its sacredness and the mystique in the eyes of the devotees. Devotees flock to Kedarnath pilgrimage tour site every year,as a part of Chardham Yatra circuit. Indeed, Kedarnath in Uttarakhand is one of the most prominent pilgrimages, particularly for the Hindus and spiritual seekers