Temple
One of the most revered temple destinations of India, Kedarnath town is nestled in the mighty Garhwal Himalayas. The town, built around the revered Kedarnath temple, is located at an altitude of 3,580 m, near Chorabari glacier, which is the source of the Mandakini river. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the ancient temple has exquisite architecture and is built of extremely large but evenly shaped grey stone slabs. A conical rock formation inside the temple is worshipped as Lord Shiva in his “Sadashiva” form. The Kedarnath temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is a part of Char Dham pilgrimage circuit, and is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva in India. Behind the Kedarnath temple, stand the Kedarnath peak, Kedar Dome and other Himalayan peaks.
The historical name of this region is "Kedar Khand" and legend says, the Pandavas from the epic Mahabharata, after having defeated the Kauravas, felt guilty of having killed so many people and sought the blessings of Lord Shiva for redemption. The Lord eluded them repeatedly and took refuge at Kedarnath in the form of a bull. The Lord dived into the ground, leaving his hump on the surface at Kedarnath. The remaining portions of Lord Shiva appeared at four other places and are worshipped there as his manifestations. The arms of the Lord appeared at Tungnath, the face at Rudranath, the belly at Madmaheshwar and his locks (hair) at Kalpeshwar. The Kedarnath and four above mentioned shrines make the revered Panch Kedar pilgrimage circuit.
Kedarnath, Uttarakhand 246445
Kedarnath, Uttarakhand
How to reach Kedarnath by flight
The closest airport to Gaurikund is the Jolly Grant Airport (Dehradun), from where you can take a taxi to Gaurikund. Gaurikund is the last road head to Kedarnath, after which the only option is to trek (or take a horse/palanquin ride) for a distance of about 14 km. However, an alternative is to skip the trek and make use of the helicopter services available at Dehradun.
Nearest Airport: Dehradun - 110 kms from Kedarnath
Search for flights to Dehradun
How to reach Kedarnath by road
Lying on the National Highway 109 which connects Rudraprayag and Kedarnath, Gaurikund is well connected to all nearby cities such as Rishikesh, Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri, Srinagar, Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Tehri etc, by cabs and buses. You can find buses in Delhi from ISBT Kashmiri Gate to Srinagar and Rishikesh. Taxi and buses can also be hired from major destinations in Uttarakhand.
How to reach Kedarnath by train
The nearest railway station to Kedarnath is Rishikesh which is distanced at 216 km from Kedarnath. It is well connected with frequent trains to and from major destinations in India. You will find it easy to commute from the railway station to Gaurikund through taxis or buses.
There are many hotels and dharamshalas are available to stay here.
Special
Kedarnath is a Hindu shrine located in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and it has a rich history and mythology associated with it.
According to Hindu mythology, the Kedarnath temple was built by the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, as a way to atone for their sins. Lord Shiva, who was being pursued by the Pandavas, took the form of a bull and disappeared into the ground at Kedarnath. The temple is believed to be built on the spot where Lord Shiva disappeared, and the lingam inside the temple is said to have been formed naturally by the elements of earth, air, water, and fire.
In terms of its historical significance, the exact date of the construction of the Kedarnath temple is not known, but it is believed to be more than 1000 years old. The temple has undergone several renovations and rebuilding efforts throughout its history, due to natural disasters such as heavy snowfall, landslides, and earthquakes.
Kedarnath Dham
The Kedarnath temple is considered one of the holiest places of pilgrimage for Hindus and is one of the four sacred shrines in India, known as the Char Dhams. Thousands of pilgrims visit Kedarnath every year to pay homage to Lord Shiva and seek his blessings.
04:00 AM to 11:00PM
05:00AM and 07:00PM
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