Kedarnath Temple

Significance

Kedarnath is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, where Shiva is worshipped as a column of light. It is also one of the Chota Char Dham and the first of the Panch Kedar. The temple stands at about 3,580 metres in the Garhwal Himalaya, near the head of the Mandakini river.

History and legend

Tradition holds that after the Kurukshetra war, the Pandavas sought Shiva to atone for killing their kin. Shiva avoided them by taking the form of a bull. When Bhima tried to hold it, the bull sank into the ground, leaving its hump at Kedarnath. The other parts are said to have appeared at the remaining four Panch Kedar temples.

Tradition credits Adi Shankaracharya with reviving the shrine, and his samadhi stands behind the temple. In June 2013, floods devastated the town, but the temple itself largely survived. A large boulder behind it, now revered as Bhim Shila, is credited with shielding it from the debris.

Before you go

• Register for the yatra before you travel; registration is checked on the route.
• Carry warm, waterproof clothing even in summer. Nights near the temple are cold.
• Spend a night at a lower altitude, such as Guptkashi or Sonprayag, before the climb.
• Avoid July and August if you can. Monsoon rain brings landslides and road closures.