Kedarnath
Jyotirlinga Tour
Kedarnath temple is one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated
to Lord Shiva and is located atop the Garhwal Himalayan range
near the river Mandakini in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand in India.
Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open only
between the end of April to start of November. The temple
is not directly accessible by road and has to be reached by
a 13 km uphill trek from Gaurikund. The temple is believed
to have been built by Adi Sankaracharya and is one of the
twelve Jyothirlingas, the holiest Hindu shrines of Lord Shiva.
The temple is also one of the four major sites in India's
Char Dham pilgrimage.
Date of reopening 28th april 2004 & closing in
the month of November 2004.
Kedarnath is the most important Hindu shrine in Himalayas,
and among the major Shiva temples, of the country. Located
at the source of the river Mandakini, Kedarnath is one of
the twelve Jyothirlingas, of Lord Shiva, and one of the Panch
Kedars.
Mythology identifies the deity at Kedarnath temple, with the
rump of a bull, a form assumed by Lord Shiva, when eluding
the Pandavas, who had come for repentance for killing their
kith and kin, in the great battle of Kurukshetra. When the
Pandavas followed him to the site, he dived into the ground
leaving behind a hump on the surface. This conical projection
is worshipped as the idol in the shrine.
The remaining parts of the body are worshipped at four other
sites-the arms (Bahu) at Tungnath, mouth (mukh) at Rudranath,
navel (nabhi) at Madmaheshwar and hair (jata) at Kalpeshwar.
These five shrines collectively are known as the Panch Kedar.
It is believed that the temple of Kedarnath, was constructed
by the Pandavas. At the entrance of the temple, is the statue
of Nandi, the divine bull of Shiva. The wall inside the temple,
is exquisitely carved with images, and the temple houses a
shiva lingam, which is worshipped by hordes of pilgrims. The
lingam, here, unlike its usual form, is pyramidal.
At the approach of winters in the month of November, the holy
statue of Lord Shiva, is carried down from Garhwal (Kedarkhand)
to Ukhimath, and is reinstated at Kedarnath, in the first
week of May. It is at this time, that the doors of the temple
are thrown open to pilgrims, who flock from all parts of India,
for a holy pilgrimage.
Legends notwithstanding, the shrine of Kedarnath is very scenically
placed, and is surrounded by lofty, snow - covered mountains,
and grassy meadows covering the valleys. Immediately behind
the temple, is the high Keadardome peak, which can be sighted
from great distances. The sight of the temple and the peak
with its perpetual snows is, simply, an enthralling sight.
Devotees outside Kedarnath Temple ,Around Kedarnath ,Vasuki
Tal Situated at an altitude of 14, 200 ft, and 6 kms away
from Kedarnath, Vasuki Tal is situated on the right side of
the valley. The crystal clear lake with stupendous scenic
surroundings, offers a splendid view for the nature buff.
Son Prayag
Located at the confluence of the Mandakini and the Sone-Ganga,
this quaint village is known for its picturesque beauty.
Gaurikund
An ancient temple dedicated to the Goddess Gauri or Parvati,
the Gaurikund houses the metallic idols of Gauri and Shiva.
According to legend, Parvati meditated here for a long time,
to win Shiva as her consort. Ultimately, she succeeded, and
the cosmic couple were wed at Trijuginarayan.
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