Kedarnath Mandir (Kedarnath Temple) is a Hindu sanctuary devoted to Lord Shiva. It is on the Garhwal Himalayan range close to the Mandakini stream in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand in India. Because of outrageous climate conditions, the sanctuary is open just between the finish of April (Akshaya Tritriya) to November (Kartik Purnima - the pre-winter full moon). Amid the winters, the vigrahas (divinities) from Kedarnath sanctuary are conveyed to Ukhimath and loved there for a half year. Master Shiva is loved as Kedarnath, the 'Ruler of Kedar Khand, the verifiable name of the district.
The sanctuary isn't specifically open by street and must be come to by 18 kilometers (11 mi) tough trek from Gaurikund. Horse and manchan benefit is accessible to achieve the structure. As indicated by Hindu legends, the sanctuary was at first worked by Pandavas, and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest Hindu holy places of Shiva. It is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams, explained in Tevaram. Pandavas should have satisfied Shiva by doing repentance in Kedarnath.
The sanctuary is one of the four noteworthy destinations in India's Chota Char Dham journey of Northern Himalayas. This sanctuary is the most elevated among the 12 Jyotirlingas. Kedarnath was the most exceedingly bad influenced zone amid the 2013 blaze surges in North India. The sanctuary complex, encompassing regions and Kedarnath town endured broad harm, however the sanctuary structure did not endure any "real" harm, aside from a couple of breaks on one side of the four dividers which was caused by the streaming flotsam and jetsam from the higher mountains. A substantial shake among the flotsam and jetsam went about as a boundary, shielding the sanctuary from the surge. The encompassing premises and different structures in market region were vigorously harmed.
As per a legendary record, the god Shiva consented to abide here in line with Nara-Narayana. After the Kurukshetra War, the Pandava siblings came here to meet Shiva on the exhortation of the sage Vyasa, in light of the fact that they needed to look for pardoning for slaughtering their family amid the war. Notwithstanding, Shiva did not have any desire to pardon them in this way, he transformed into a bull and tucked away among the cows on the slope. At the point when the Pandavas figured out how to track him, he attempted to vanish by sinking himself directly into the ground. One of the siblings snatched his tail, compelling him to show up before them and excuse them. The Pandava siblings at that point constructed the principal sanctuary at Kedarnath. The segments of Shiva's body later showed up at four different areas and by and large, these five spots came to be known as the five Kedaras (Panch Kedar) the leader of the bull showed up at the area of the Pashupatinath Temple in present-day Nepal. The Mahabharata, which gives the record of the Pandavas and the Kurukshetra War, does not make reference to wherever called Kedarnath. One of the most punctual references to Kedarnath happens in the Skanda Purana, which contains a legend depicting the source of the Ganges stream. The content names Kedara (Kedarnath) as where Shiva discharged the blessed water from his tangled hair.
As indicated by the hagiographies dependent on Madhava's Sankshepa-shankara-vijaya, the eighth century rationalist Adi Shankara kicked the bucket at Kedaranatha (Kedarnath) albeit different hagiographies, in light of Anandagiri's Prachina-Shankara-Vijaya, express that he passed on at Kanchi. The vestiges of a landmark denoting the indicated demise place of Shankara are situated at Kedarnath. Kedarnath was certainly a noticeable journey focus by the twelfth century, when it is made reference to in Kritya-kalpataru composed by the Gahadavala serve Bhatta Lakshmidhara.
As per a convention recorded by the English mountain climber Eric Shipton (1926), "a huge number of years prior", the Kedarnath sanctuary did not have a neighborhood minister the cleric of the Badrinath sanctuary used to hold administrations at both the sanctuaries, going between the two places every day.
Kedarnath temple is located at a high altitude i.e. 3,583 m from the sea level. Always temperature down. 'Chardham Package' advice you to pack warm clothes and jackets.
The weather can change anytime due to snowfall and rain in and around Baba Kedar Temple. So keep a raincoat, this will help you avoid getting wet.
Bring necessary medicines with you, diseases, injuries, and some other things may happen to you during trekking. Therefore, it would be better if you bring medicines with you.
If you plan a trek for darshan. You should prepare for trekking one month in advance. If you practice trekking daily then you can cover it easily and it helps you during your journey.
You can easily reach Kedarnath by air, train and by road.
Jolly Grant Airport is 240 km from Guptkashi from Guptkashi to Kedarnath Temple is 40kms by road & 22 Kms by trek. Jolly Grant Airport is a nearest airport to Guptkashi well connected to motor able road you can take easily taxi from outside the airport.
Rishikesh is nearest railway station of from Guptkashi. The distance between Rishikesh and Guptkashi 220 km. Taxi and buses are easily available outside the railway station.
You can take private buses and Taxis from Delhi till Rishikesh or Haridwar. Guptkashi is located on NH 07.
