KEDARNATH Dham
One of the most sacred and revered Hindu temples, Kedarnath Temple is situated in Uttarakhand, India’s Garhwal area of the Himalayas. The temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is located close to the Mandakini River at a height of 3,583 meters (11,755 ft) above sea level. One of the twelve Jyotirlingas—the holiest places on Earth attributed to Lord Shiva—is Kedarnath.
The theological and spiritual significance of Kedarnath Temple is great, attracting pilgrims and visitors from all over the world who come to this hallowed Himalayan residence in search of Lord Shiva’s bountiful blessings.
Important details and attributes of Kedarnath Temple:
- Accessibility: Heavy snowfall and severe weather make it difficult to reach Kedarnath by road throughout the year. Usually, pilgrims take the route until Gaurikund, where they hire horses or palanquins to continue their trek on foot.
- Opening and Closing Dates: Every year, pilgrims can only visit the temple from the end of April or the beginning of May to the beginning of November. Because of the high snowfall throughout the winter, it is closed.
- Pilgrimage Route: Every year, pilgrims can only visit the temple from the end of April or the beginning of May to the beginning of November. Because of the high snowfall throughout the winter, it is closed.
- Panch Kedar: Kedarnath is one of the five Shiva temples in the Garhwal region that make up the Panch Kedar. In this circuit, there are four other temples: Kalpeshwar, Madhyamaheshwar, Rudranath, and Tungnath.
- Historical Significance: It is thought that the Kedarnath Temple originated during the time of the Mahabharata. In this location, the Pandavas reportedly sought Lord Shiva's blessings following the Kurukshetra War.
- Architecture: The temple's construction is straightforward but distinctive, built with grey stone slabs in the classic Himalayan manner. It is thought to have been constructed in the eighth century by Adi Shankaracharya.
- Destruction and Reconstruction: Natural disasters have struck the temple, most notably the destructive floods in 2013. Even with severe damage, attempts were made to rebuild and bring the temple back to its former splendor.
- Maha Shivaratri: At Kedarnath Temple, the Maha Shivaratri festival is celebrated with great passion, with thousands of devotees