Kedarnath Yatra Travel Guide One of the holiest places and most sacred pilgrimages of Lord Shiva is Kedarnath. It is located in the Garhwal area of Rudraprayag district in Uttarakhand and thousands of pilgrims visit this place every year to seek Lord Shiva ‘s blessing. It is one of the Char Dhams in Uttarakhand, and among the Panch Kedar, it is considered the most important dham. Situated at an altitude, this holy pilgrimage is In the mesmerising backdrop of majestic mountains near the beautiful Mandakini River, the Kedarnath range stands one of Lord Shiva ‘s twelve Jyotirlingas of 3586 metres.
Even the name of this shrine also has a strong sense, which is another name of Lord Shiva, the protector and destroyer, “Kedar” means powerful. Kedarnath trek is made even more fascinating by its stunning aura, snow clad mountains and breathtaking scenery, which makes people visit in large numbers every year. The main attraction of this Dham is the main temple of Shiva, nestled in the middle of the picturesque landscape. This temple is dedicated to Shiva, who is known as the embodiment of all emotions-love , hate, terror, In its different ways, death and mysticism are represented. Kedarnath is one of Lord Shiva ‘s main pilgrimages, but in the city itself, there are more than 200 shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva. So, if you’re also planning a Kedarnath Yatra, the detailed Kedarnath travel guide is below.
The Religious Significance of Kedarnath Temple
Nestled in the Garhwal Himalayan area of the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, the Kedarnath temple. It is located on the bank of the River Mandakini, a tributary of the Ganges River. It is one of India’s most revered shrines. This temple was over 1,000 years old, and Guru Sri Adi Shankracharya built it. It is one of the most popular Char Dham Yatra pilgrimage sites in Uttarakhand.
The Kedarnath Temple ‘s religious importance dates back to the time of the Mahabharata in which the Pandavas killed their Kauravas cousin brothers. They felt guilty and unworthy of entering heaven. The Pandavas pursued the salvation of Lord Shiva from their sins. They were looking for Lord Shiva on their way to forgiveness.
Lord Shiva didn’t want to free the Pandavas so quickly from their sins. Lord Shiva dressed himself in the shape of a bull in order to do so. He dived into the ground upon being found by the Pandavas. Bhim is trying to catch him and can only get hold of the hump. Various body parts of the bull appeared in various locations, according to the legends, which are worshipped by the devotees as Panch Kedar. The bull’s hump was discovered in Kedarnath.
One can go by helicopter on a Char Dham Yatra, too. With us, you can book a tour and look for blessings at India’s popular pilgrimage sites.
Kedarnath Temple Opening Dates
On the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya, Kedarnath Temple opens and the day is determined by the priests at Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhtimath. The temple’s closing date is set and the day of Bhai Dooj, the second day of the Deepavali festival, is set. The Kedarnath opening time is declared on Maha Shivaratri by the priests.
For more than half a year, the path to Kedarnath Temple has been coated with snow and is inaccessible all the time. The best time to visit Kedarnath is during the months of May through June and September through October. During winters, when snow covers the roads, the temple is inaccessible and it stays closed during this period to own it. The best season to visit Kedarnath is summer. The ideal weather for Summers to pay a visit here. The intense downpour is characteristic of the Monsoon season. So, try to stop the season here.
- Kedarnath Temple Timings: 4:00 A.M to 9:00 P.M
- Kedarnath visiting months: May to October (It can be changed according to the Panchang)
Kedarnath Temple Aarti
The darshan of the Kedarnath Mandir begins from 4:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. It closes between 3:00 P.M. and 5:00 P.M. For 6 months of the year, Kedarnath Temple is inaccessible as the route is blocked due to the heavy snow in the region. It opens in April, which depends on the Panchang, until October. The Aarti Timings of Kedarnath are:
- Maha Abhishek Puja at Kedarnath: 4:00 A.M to 7:00 A.M
- Kedarnath Ji ki Aarti: 4:00 A.M to 7:00 P.M
Here is a list of Kedarnath places to visit:
Kedarnath is an important pilgrimage destination for Hindus, and millions of people visit it every year. Kedarnath tourism suffered a massive blow after the catastrophic flood in 2013. The whole trek-route on Mandakini ‘s side was washed away, as though it had never been there. The Kedarnath Temple route has now been revamped, and as before, the Kedarnath Yatra has resumed.
The devotees flock to the holy site in the summer months starting from early May, when the temple opens to the general public, and the deep silence of the beautiful valley surrounded by scenic splendour is broken by the buzzing chants of Lord Shiva ‘s holy names. There are several pilgrimage sites close to Kedarnath for Kedarnath sightseeing, which tourists may find worth a visit.
Kedarnath Dham
One of the twelve Jyotirlingas is Lord Kedarnath, and is therefore considered very important. It is noteworthy to note that everything on either side of the temple was entirely erased during the flood, but the temple remained intact. It is considered a miracle of the Lord by devout followers. The temple and the presiding deity, Lord Kedarnath, have a legendary account attached to It is assumed that the actual mountain was built by the Pandavas when they wandered off in the Himalayas after the devastating war in Kurukshetra. Lord Shiva appeared as a vicious bull in front of the Pandavas to scare them. But, confronted with all his strength, Bhim was the strongest and bravest one, and he caught the tail of the bull.
The bull escaped into a crevice while its head appeared in Pashupatinath in Nepal, leaving its hind portion in Bhim ‘s hand. The Pandavas prayed to Lord Shiva, and he was pleased to appear before them, conceding that he would still be here. Now, in the belief that the Lord listens carefully to their prayers, the devotees worship the pyramidal rock structure. Kedarnath is one of the most famous of all Popular Chardham Circuit Pilgrimage Places. Book a kit for the Chardham Yatra and seek blessings.
Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi
As the storey goes, in the 8th century AD, the current temple was built by Adi Shankaracharya. He was a great scholar and a reformer of faith. In his short lifespan of 32 years, he revived Hinduism by establishing four seats of study at four points in the world, establishing and reviving the ancient temples and idols, writing countless Sanskrit poems and scholarly texts It is believed that he attained Samadhi here.
Gaurikund
It is the very place where it is believed that the proposal to marry Parvati was approved by Lord Kedarnath. In Triyuginarayan, another pilgrimage site high up in the mountains, he married her, where it is said that the Yajna fire still burns. There is a hot water tank here at Gaurikund where every devotee must take a holy dip to absolve all his sins before going to Lord Kedarnath’s ‘Darshan‘ Before the 2013 Deluge, it was the starting point of the 14 km Yatra to Kedarnath. Now the route has changed and the new route starts from Guptkashi and is 34 kilometres long and winding.
Panch Kedar
Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath, Madhyamaheshwar, and Kalpeshwar usually consist of the Panch Kedar. High up in the upper part of the Himalayas, these five temples are not only shrouded by snow much of the time, but also have rugged, dangerous terrain. The minor variation of the earlier Pandavas myth is that although the bull was captured by its tail by Bhim, the bull was Torn apart in five sections, they fell at ‘Kedar Khand’ in five separate areas.
Vasuki Lake
Vasuki Tal, located east of the Chor Gamak glacier, is a glacial lake near Kedarnath. A wonderful sight was created by the crystal clear water of the lake carrying the shadows of the high peaks surrounding it. It is a moderate to difficult trek from Kedarnath, about 7 km upwards.
Ukhtimath
Vasuki Tal, situated east of Chor Gamak glacier, is a glacial lake near Kedarnath. A wonderful vision was created by the crystal clear water of the lake carrying the shadows of the high peaks surrounding it. It is a moderate to difficult hike from Kedarnath, about 7 km upwards.
How to reach Kedarnath Temple?
One of India’s most famous pilgrimage sites is Kedarnath Temple. Millions of people are flocking here from across the country to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva. Most people have no idea how to reach Kedarnath. So here we are to help you out with the best route to visit Kedarnath Temple.
- Delhi to Kedarnath is 447 km
- Rishikesh to Kedarnath is 223 km
- Dehradun to Kedarnath is 257 km
By Air: Dehradun’s Jolly Grant Airport is the closest airport to Kedarnath, which is almost 257 km away. From the Kedarnath Temple Route, one can easily get transport from here to Gauri Kund. No vehicle is permitted after this.
By Road: Gauri Kund is the location where the vehicle is authorised and is well connected by a good road network with the nearby major cities. From Rishikesh, Dehradun, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, and Tehri one can easily get a taxi or cab till Gauri Kund.
By Train: Rishikesh is the closest railway station to Gauri Kund. It is 223 km away and 258 km from Dehradun Railway Station. From either of the railway stations, one can hire a taxi or cab. Buses also circulate daily from Rishikesh to Gauri Kund and from Dehradun to Gauri Kund.