Kedarnath Jyotirlinga | Kedarnath Temple | Vetoindia.com

Kedarnath Jyotirlinga, synchronized with the permanent abode of Lord Shiva at Mount Kailash, occupies the highest point of the Himalayas, surrounded by huge glaciers, lofty peaks, lush green meadows and flowing rivers. It is the highest of the 12 Jyotirlingas and can be reached by a trek of about 16 km. Kedarnath Temple is open for only 6 months and is closed in winter due to heavy snowfall.

Kedarnath Jyotirlinga – The highest abode of Shiva in the Himalayas

Kedarnath Jyotirlinga in the Puranas

Among the many legends associated with Kedarnath Jyotirlinga, the two most frequently mentioned in the scriptures are:

• It is believed that Nara-Narayan, the incarnation of the twin brothers of Vishnu, performed severe penance to please Lord Shiva. When Lord Shiva appeared before them, they requested the Lord to establish Himself in this region till eternity. Lord Shiva granted their wish and appeared here in the form of Jyotirlinga.
• The second myth is associated with the Pandavas who suffered after the bloodshed of the Kurukshetra war in which they had to reluctantly kill their relatives, elders, gurus and Brahmins. To get rid of their sins from Shiva, they went to Kashi (Varanasi), but Shiva refused to meet them and hid at Guptakashi (near Kedarnath) in the guise of a bull. The Pandavas followed him to Guptakashi and seeing them, Lord Shiva stuck out his tail and fled into the earth. The powerful Pandava Bhima tried to pull Shiva with his tail and in the process, different body parts of Shiva appeared in 5 different places (collectively known as Pancha Kedar). His hump appeared in Kedarnath itself and was permanently established in the form of Jyotirlinga.

The hypocrisy of Sri Kedarnath Dham is ready Open On: 17-May-2021 From October-2021.

Kedarnath Jyotirlinga in History

The original Kedarnath temple was built by the Pandavas, but no historical records are available for it. The Skanda Purana is one of the many Hindu scriptures found in the 8th century^Th Century refers to a place called Kedar, where Lord Shiva kept the violent flow of the Ganges in his mat locks, while the goddess came down to earth in the form of a river.

The earliest mention of it is found in the present Kedarnath Temple 7^Th-8^Th Century records. It is believed that the famous Hindu philosopher Adi Shankara was among those who visited Kedarnath Jyotirlinga in the 8th century.^Th Century. After building the Kedarnath temple and staying here for some time, it is believed that he attained salvation here.

Some historical records state that the Kedarnath Temple was built in Bhoj 11 by the Malwa king of Madhya Pradesh.^Th Century. Kedarnath gained prominence as a pilgrimage by the 12th^Th Century. However, the temple is believed to have been buried under snow for 400 years during the Little Ice Age (1300-1900).

It’s in the 20s^Th Kedarnath has attracted the attention of millions of devotees and is one of the four Char Dham Yatra destinations in Uttarakhand (the other three being Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri). The temple miraculously survived the devastating flash floods of 2013.

Kedarnath Jyotirlinga position

At an elevation of about 3,583 m, Kedarnath Jyotirlinga is located on the banks of the Mandakini River in the Rudraprayag District of Uttarakhand (Uttaranchal). The temple is located in the Garhwal Himalayas and can be reached by trekking starting from Gaurikund. Here are some road distances between Gaurikund and important cities and towns:

• Rishikesh: 211 km
• Haridwar: 231 km.
• Dehradun: 252 km
• Delhi Delhi: 470 km.
• Chandigarh: 434 km.
• Shimla: 478 km
• Jaipur: 742 km.

How to reach Kedarnath Jyotirlinga

• By air: Dehradun’s Jolly Grant Airport (226 km) is the nearest airport to Gaurikund. It has good connectivity with cities like Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Jammu and Chandigarh. From the airport, you can easily take a taxi to reach Gaurikund by road.
• By train: The nearest railway stations are at Rishikesh (208 km), Haridwar (232 km) and Dehradun (251 km), each with Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Kolkata and other top cities in India. Connected with regular trains. From each of these railway stations, it is easy to hire direct taxis to reach Gaurikund.
• By road: Buses are available from Delhi to Haridwar and Rishikesh and then to Guptakashi (about 30 km from Gaurikund). Shared jeeps are available again from Guptakashi to Gaurikund. Alternatively, you can book taxis directly to Gaurikund from any city.
• By helicopter: It is also possible to reach the Kedarnath Temple by helicopter. For those who can afford it, Kedarnath helicopter service is available from Dehradun. To learn more, you can read our blog on Kedarnath Yatra by helicopter at the link. https://travel-blog.waytoindia.com/kedarnath-yatra-by-helicopter . Please note that direct helicopter service from Dehradun to Kedarnath is very expensive and the total body weight does not exceed 350 kg and can cost up to 5 people up to Rs 3.50 lakh. For those who cannot afford that kind of money, another Kedarnath helicopter service, also known as the Kedarnath Shuttle Helicopter Service, is available from various helipads on the road from Guptakashi to Gaurikund. Many companies operate from various helipads located at Guptakashi, Fata, Sercy and Sitapur. Kedarnath Helicopter Booking Online The service is provided by Triptochardham.com.

Local transport: Kedarnath Jyotirlinga can be reached by trekking from Gaurikund (16 km on one side). Other popular ways:

• Kandi (a type of palanquin that a person can carry on their back, costs between Rs. 1,500 and Rs. 3,500)
• Dandi (palanquins for 4 persons, Rs. 5,000 on one route and Rs. 10,000 from Gaurikund for 1 night stay)
• Mulls cost Rs 2,300 per side
• The round trip by helicopter (from Fata Helipad, 16 km before Gaurikund) to Kedarnath Helipad (about 500 m in front of Kedarnath Temple) costs around Rs 7,000.

Best time to visit Kedarnath Jyotirlinga

Kedarnath Jyotirlinga Temple is open only for six months from the beginning of April-end / May to the end of October-end / November. May, June and October are the best months to visit this temple. The July-September monsoon season experiences heavy rainfall, usually with landslides and floods.

Places to visit Kedarnath Jyotirlinga

• Kedarnath Jyotirlinga: The temple depicts the architectural style of the Uttarakhand temple using stones. The Kedarnath Temple has been exposed to natural disasters many times. Kedarnath Jyotirlinga is a cone-shaped Shiva lingam. Along with other Hindu deities like Parvati and Krishna there are idols of Pandavas and their wife Draupadi. The magnificent natural beauty of the snow capped peaks and meadows forms the great backdrop of this temple. The nearby Mandakini River enhances the sanctity of the place.
• Bhairav ​​Temple: Not far from the main temple is this open temple, where Bhairav, the awful form of Lord Shiva. Lord Bhairav ​​is believed to be the protector of the region.
• Tomb of Shankaracharya: Ghanta Adi Shankara, who built the present day Kedarnath Temple, is believed to be the resting place.
• Gaurikund: It is believed that this is the place where Goddess Parvati performed rigorous penance to win over Lord Shiva as her husband. There is a hot spring here and a temple dedicated to Goddess Parvati.

Top Things To Do In Kedarnath Jyotirlinga

• Artis and Pujas: One can attend the daily aorta performed at the Kedarnath Jyotirlinga Temple. Also, various types of pujas like Mahabhishek, Rudrabhishek, Sampurna Aarti, Mahabhog can be booked in advance. The costs of these rituals range from INR 170 to INR 26,000.
• Trekking: Adventurous trekkers can also plan trekking from Kedarnath to Chorabari Tal (also known as Gandhi Sarovar, one of the main sources of the Mandakini River and can be reached by trek of about 3 km). And Vasuki Tal (Frightened Lake, 8 km by trekking from Kedarnath.

Top places near Kedarnath Jyotirlinga

• Guptakashi (about 30 km): Kashi is a holy town with temples like Vishwanath and Ardhanarishwar Temple
• Ukhimath (about 45 km): The winter residence of Kedarnath, which is famous for the Omkareshwar Temple, is where the idol of Kedarnath is worshiped when Kedarnath closes its Jyotirlinga due to snowfall.
• Triyuginarayana (about 12 km): Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati
• Chopta (about 75 km): Chopta Kasturi is also home to deer, which is full of natural beauty and serenity
• Pancha Kedars: Apart from Kedarnath, one can also visit four other Kedars in the region, namely Tungnath, Rudranath, Kalpeshwar and Madhyamaheshwar.
• Char Dham: Apart from Kedarnath Jyotirlinga, one can also visit three other dhammas in the region namely Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.

Travel Tips for Kedarnath Jyotirlinga

• Registration is important to visit Kedarnath Jyotirlinga. You can opt for biometric registration at one of the many registration centers in Haridwar, Rishikesh, Fata, Sonprayag and Guptakashi. The other option is online photometric registration, which can be done on the official tourism website of Uttarakhand. The tour operator will assist you with registration.
• Pilgrims must produce a medical fitness certificate from a licensed practitioner / hospital, without which permission for pilgrimage may be denied.
• The main Kedarnath temple opens at 04:00 am and closes at 11:00 pm
• Prefer SIM card from BSNL, Jio or Vodafone for better connectivity.
• Carry good trekking shoes, woolen clothes, energy foods (chocolates, dry fruits, etc.), Ringer gear and ID proofs (Aadhaar card, voter ID, etc.).
• Do not try trekking or roaming at night as this area is home to wild animals like the black bear.
• Be sure to pay attention to the weather forecasts before and during the pilgrimage.
• It is a good idea to stay in Guptakashi which offers good hotels / resorts / camps.

Visit Kedarnath Jyotirlinga to have a life-changing rendezvous with divinity. Book a tour now by contacting 85272 55991 or us info@waytoindia.com.

Note that 12 Jyotirlinga Tour Package You can book by sending us inquiries at info@waytoindia.com and visit all 12 Jyotirlingas in approximately 17 nights and 18 days.