Situated at a height of 3,583 m (11,755ft) above the sea level, Kedarnath is one of the 'Chhota Char Dham' (literally translated as "the small four 'religious' abodes") sites in India. The temple is visited by a number of followers every year. Located in the state of Uttarakhand, the temple remains closed during the winter and heavy snowfall months (from November to April) and the idol (the 'palki' with the utsava murti of Lord Kedarnath) is shifted to a place near Guptakashi called Ukhimath.
Places to See in Kedarnath
The main tourist attraction of Kedarnath is the temple of Kedarnath and Lord Shiva.
- It is a temple that is about 1000 years old.
- It is an intricately carved temple with a statue of the Nandi bull at the gates.
- The temple is built of large and evenly cut slabs of stone.
- There is a main chamber of the temple that is called the Garbha Griha.
- There is another chamber called the Mandap which seems ideal for gatherings and assembly of people.
- The form of Lord Shiva that is worshiped in this temple is triangular shaped rock.
Kedarnath Temple
The temple of Kedarnath is situated in the middle of the plateau at an altitude of 3584 m above the sea level. It is an ancient temple that was built in the 8th century and forms the main structure of attention at Kedarnath.
Samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya
Behind the temple at Kedarnath is located the Samadhi, or final resting place of Adi Guru Shankaracharya. It is believed that he undertook the work of establishing the four places of Hindu pilgrimage, which are also called the char dham, and then at an early age of 32 took Samadhi here.
Bhairav Nath Temple
This is the temple of the deity of Lord Bhairav who guards the main temple of Kedarnath during the cold months of winter. It is situated to the south of the main temple.
Places to Visit near Kedarnath
Triyuginarayan Temple
This temple is located in Rudraprayag and is famous for being one of the oldest temples where Lord Vishnu is worshiped. This temple resembles the Kedarnath shrine in all apsects. The temple is popular for its rich mythology as it is believed that Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati here. The other attractions which can be visited while one is here are Vishnu Kund, Rudra Kund and Brahma Kund.
Rambara
Situated at an altitude of 2591 m above the sea level, Rambara lies 7 km to Kedarnath. It is also famous for being the mid-point of the 14 km long trek to Kedarnath. Most of the tourists stop by here to rest as there are many accommodations in this place.
Gaurikund
It is one of the Hindu pilgrim centres and located on the way to the Kedarnath Shrine. The place is situated at an altitude of 1,982 m and is popular for having the ancient temple of Goddess Parvati. The other thing to experience in Gaurikund is the hot water springs - believed to be beneficial in healing various diseases.
