Kedarnath Temple - The Place Where Shiva Always Resides
Kedarnath Temple is one of the most astonishing religious sites in the country and is dedicated to Lord Shiva this trip of mild difficulty takes you to Deoria Tal, a serene and astonishing lake Himalayan lake. The snow-capped mountain peaks, the calm depths reflect the huge conifers and the azure skies look like a mirror. You can also opt for camping out here and can experience the great outdoor activities which make it a thrilling experience. The present architecture is believed to have been constructed in the 8th century AD by the great Hindu philosopher Guru Adi Shankaracharya and the interesting feature of this temple is its amazing architecture.
Location Of The Temple
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| Kedarnath Temple |
The key attraction of this pilgrimage is its extreme location i.e. the shrine is tucked at a huge elevation of almost 3584 meters above sea level. Being located on such a huge elevation and restricted area, one needs to cover a difficult trekking trail to reach the shrine and this trek is both physically as well as mentally harassing and there is no other way to reach this shrine other than trekking. However, if budget is not your concern then you can opt for the helicopter services by checking out some of the most customized and well-crafted Kedarnath tour packages uploaded on our website.
Mythology Behind Its Origin
One of the most interesting stories associated with the creation of Kedarnath Dham tells a story that how the Pandava brothers made their way to reach and plead Lord Shiva, the supreme deity of Hindus. The story is related to the holy Hindu epic Mahabharata when the Pandava brothers killed their kin in a war to absolve this horrible sin they were advised to plead with Lord Shiva but as the deity was very upset with them so he hid himself at Guptkashi by transforming into a bull. Bheem, one of the Pandava brothers recognized him and tried to catch him but the bull sank into the earth, however, Bheem grabbed the bull by its tail, and in this fight, the bull was shattered into pieces and the rear end was found in Kedar and similarly, the mouth part was found in Nepal. The Pandavas then asked Lord Shiva to forgive them for their sin and the deity granted for the same.
Architecture Of Kedarnath Temple
As mentioned above that this magnificent Shiva Temple is reckoned for its exquisitely designed architecture. Despite being more than 1000 years old, Kedarnath Temple is still standing tall and attracting travelers from all across the globe to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva, the supreme deity of Hindus. The shrine is beautifully constructed with immensely huge, heavy, and evenly cut gray slabs of stones and the most striking feature is that these heavy slabs have been preserved so well and are still in the same condition even after the flood incident of 2013. The inner walls of the shrine are adorned with intricate carvings and beautiful pictures of the deities representing various mythological incidents that one can find in Hindu epics.
At the entrance of this wonderful shrine, there is a large statue of the Nandi Bull that stands as a protector of the deity idolized inside the temple. When you enter the shrine, you will get to see the “Garbha Griha” where the devotees gather to worship Lord Shiva, and then moving forward, you will enter a Mandap, a sort of assembly for the devotees and other travelers.
Puja Performed In Kedarnath
Raval, the head priest of Kedarnath Temple belongs to Karnataka from the Veerashaiva community and it is believed that all the puja rituals that are performed here are done under the supervision of Raval only. If you are keen to organize a special puja for the betterment of you, your family, or your professional life then you can do an advance booking for it, however, these special pujas are available online also and a devotee doesn’t need to be physically present for it.
How To Reach
This completely depends upon your schedule, physical fitness, and most importantly on your budget as the destination is accessible via all the modes of transport viz. airways, railways, and roadways. If you are traveling to this place with a good budget then you can opt for the helicopter services to reach this shrine in a very easy and convenient way by paying some extra money to your travel agency.
By Airways: Dehradun Airport is the nearest airport to this shrine and after reaching here, you need to take a road transport to reach Gaurikund and then from there you will be covering the trekking trail.
By Railways: Rishikesh Railway Station is the nearest railhead to Kedarnath Temple so if you are coming by railway then board a train to Rishikesh and on reaching the railway station you will find private autos, cabs, and taxis that take you to your desired destination.
By Roadways: The fastest and the best way to reach Kedarnath Temple from Delhi is to take a bus to Haldwani and then from Haldwani book a cab to your desired destination this entire journey takes a total of 13 hrs and 3 minutes.
By Helicopter: If you or anyone in your group is physically unwell and can’t reach the shrine by covering this challenging trekking trail then you can seek the help of travel companies offering you helicopter services.
Best Time To Visit
Being tucked at a huge elevation, the shrine is open for only half a year i.e. from the last week of April to the first week of November as the weather is favorable and pleasant only in these months. The region receives huge rainfall in the monsoon months and similarly heavy snowfall during the winter months as the destination is established at an extreme altitude and this makes the pilgrimage difficult to be visited. This is why it is always recommended to plan your Kedarnath travel either between the months of May and June or in the months of September and October so that the climatic condition doesn’t create any hurdles in your trip.
Places To Visit Nearby Kedarnath Temple
However, Kedarnath alone attracts a huge number of tourists towards itself but if you are visiting Kedarnath and left with some time in your schedule then you must not skip visiting some of the most magnificent places established around the pilgrimage. Here is a list of some must-visit destinations that are located closer to the shrine of Lord Shiva and appeal the travelers with their impeccable beauty and aura.
Gaurikund
It is the place from where the trekking trail to Kedarnath commences and in this way, it also holds huge importance in Hinduism and Kedarnath tourism. This base camp of the Kedarnath Temple trek boasts of an ancient yet gorgeous shrine dedicated to Goddess Parvati who is also known as Gauri. Likewise other religious sites, Gaurikund also holds huge importance in Hindu mythologies and religious tourism. According to interesting Hindu mythology, it is believed to be the same place where Goddess Parvati was tied to perform a deep penance to please Lord Shiva and she performed some ascetic and yoga practices to win over Shiva’s heart.
What Is Gaurikund Famous For?
It is famous for Devi Temples and also for its incredible religious aura that appeals the travelers coming from all across the world.
Vasuki Tal Lake
A high glacial lake nestled at an extreme altitude of 14,200 feet above sea level, Vasuki Tal Lake is a magnificent travel destination to explore near Kedarnath Temple. On reaching this beautiful place, you can spot a huge collection of colorful and scented Brahma Kamal and several other Himalayan flowers blooming all around this placid lake which makes this aura divine. As per an interesting Hindu mythological tale, it is believed that Lord Vishnu took a holy bath in this holy lake on the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan, and hence the place has been named Vasuki Tal. Another striking feature of this site is that on reaching this placid lake you will get to savor the mesmerizing views of the magnificent Chaukhamba Peak adorned with panoramic landscapes. Also, the luscious terrains around this placid lake are perfect for tasting your skill of trekking and quenching your thirst for attaining adventurous experiences.
What Is Vasuki Tal Famous For?
The lake is famous for its unexpressed and unrivaled aura and scenic vistas.
The unpredictable insane climatic condition doesn’t allow anyone to reach this hugely elevated pilgrimage and even a single cloudburst is enough to fill the entire Kedarnath Temple premises with rocks and water in 2013, this holy pedestal in Uttarakhand was hit by a massive natural calamity suffered immense harm as major parts of the region were heavily destructed in that flood incident.
Despite being hit by such a massive natural calamity, the temple remained untouched and completely preserved as there is a belief among religious scholars that Lord Shiva, the presiding deity of the shrine protected it. However, 1000 people had lost their lives in that calamity and the roads were also brutally destroyed.
After that 2013 incident, there was a belief not only among religious scholars but also among scientists that the shrine is engulfed by negative spirits because of the dead bodies that are accumulated under the debris, so it is important to the purification of the pilgrimage.
The mythology behind its origin dates back to the era of Mahabharata and as per the mythology, it is believed that the Pandavas in order to absolve their sins of doing fratricide and for this, they wanted to plead with Lord Shiva Shiva knowing this transformed himself into a bull and tried to escape away. But, finally, they found the god and also succeeded in pleasing him.
When you enter this shrine, you will find a triangular-shaped Linga that is worshipped as Kedarnath and there is a strong belief among the devotees that if you pray to God with pure heart then all your committed sins would be absolved and later on after death, you will go to heaven in pleasure.
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