Kedarnath Dham Yatra

Kedarnath Dham Yatra is a sacred pilgrimage for devotees of Lord Shiva, located in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, India. It is one of the Char Dham and the most important among Panch Kedar. The Kedarnath Temple is situated at an altitude of 3586 meters, surrounded by majestic mountain peaks and near the head of the Mandakini River. It is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, and the beautiful ambiance around the temple provides a peaceful place for meditation. The main attraction of the pilgrimage is the Shiva Temple, which is a popular Hindu shrine, attracting devotees from all over the world. The natural beauty and religious significance of the area make it a popular destination for travel and tourism.

Shiva is considered the embodiment of all passions – love, hatred, fear, death and mysticism which are expressed through his various forms. There are more than 200 shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva in the area itself, the most important one is Kedarnath.

About Kedarnath Temple

Kedarnath Temple, located in India, is a highly revered shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple was originally built in the 8th century A.D. by Adi Shankaracharya, and is situated near the site of an earlier temple constructed by the Pandavas. Despite being over 1000 years old, the temple is still one of India’s most famous. In 2013, the Kedarnath floods caused damage to the temple complex, but it has since been rehabilitated with new facilities such as helipads and guest houses. Visitors can now book Kedarnath Puja online without needing to be physically present. The daily pooja rituals at the temple begin at 4:00 am with Maha Abhishek and end at 7:00 pm with the Shyam aarti. Visitors can touch the idol and perform Abhishek with Ghee before 3:00 pm, but after 5:00 pm, they can only get Darshan from a distance. The temple is only open for six months of the year, from when the sun enters the zodiac sign of Aries until Scorpio is in full-blown eclipse.

Kedarnath History

Legend goes that, “Nara and Narayana performed severe penance in front of a Shivalingam fashioned out of earth”. Kedarnath is a well-known shrine for Lord Shiva devotees and Kedarnath temple history is almost more than 1000 years-old. Legend says they requested Shiva to take up a permanent abode as Jyotirlingam. Kedareshwar is a place where the Pandavas sought Shiva’s blessings.

According to another legend, Goddess Parvati worshipped Kedaeshwar to unite with Shiva as Ardhanareeswarar. Bhairon is a temple dedicated to Bhaironathji who is ceremoniously worshipped at the opening & closing of Kedarnath Temple. The belief is that Bhairavnathji protects this land from evil during the time when the temple is closed. Kedarnath is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas or the cosmic light.

The temple is over a thousand years old and is located in the Rudra Himalayas, northern India. It is home to the world’s highest Jyotirlinga the Kedarnath lingam.

Kedarnath Temple Opening & Closing Dates

Kedarnath God Temple Opening date depends on auspicious day of ‘Akshay Tritya’ and ‘Maha Shiva Ratri’, according to the calculations by Omkareshwar priests.

This year, the Kedarnath temple has been closed for winter and will open again on 25 April 2023 in the morning with special Pooja in the temple.

In addition, the opening date of Kedarnath Dham has been declared on Mahashivratri. Kedarnath’s closing date has been set, and on the day of Bhai Dooj (the day after Diwali in November), the temple will be closed after Pooja archana in the morning. The opening of Kedarnath Kapaat is an auspicious occasion for numerous pilgrims visiting Kedarath from all over the country and the world. Pilgrims could only have darshan once priests had opened Puja at Kedartath Temple. Likewise, to the opening ceremony, closing ceremony is also grand. Garhwal Bands take Baba Kedar Doli to Winter Abode of Kedarnath i.e Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath.

Tourist Places Near Kedarnath

Tourist Attractions in Kedarnath Dham

Kedarnath Temple is a popular tourist attraction in itself, but there are also many other pilgrimage and tourist spots to explore near Kedarnath Dham. Visitors can take a trek to high altitude lakes or explore nearby towns like Triyuginarayan, Guptkashi, Chopta, Deoria Tal, Panch Kedar, Chandrashila, Kalimath, and Agastyamuni. Triyuginarayan is a particularly special spot, as it is where Lord Shiva and Parvati were married. Chopta and Deoria Tal are also highly recommended for their stunning views of the Himalayan hills. Additionally, the Panch Kedar temples – Kedarnath, Madmaheshwar, Tungnath, Rudranath, and Kalpeshwer – are must-visit destinations for Lord Shiva devotees. For those interested in architecture, the Agasteshwar Mahadev temple is a fascinating archaeological site with intricate carvings of gods and goddesses on stone. And for breathtaking views, visitors can check out the Kedar Massif, which includes the Kedar dome, Bharatekuntha, and Kedarnath mountains.

Kedarnath Dham Location

Kedarnath is a hindu religious place located in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag District. The holy town and one of the Char Dham are located in the Kedarnath Valley at an elevation of 3584 metres. It is accessible by Trek, Dandi, Kandi, or Helicopter. Kedarnath is well connected by road, air and rail. You can travel directly to Kedarnath from Haridwar, but it is also possible to spend at least one day there. The majority of the 240-kilometer ride is on a ghat road, with various mountains in the background and the Ganges River following you all the way. If your group is more than 5-6 people, you should consider renting a jeep. If you choose to drive your own vehicle/car, be sure it has adequate ground clearance because the path is littered with pebbles.

The Gaurikund is only 5 kilometres from Sonprayag, the Gaurika entrance. There is a fatak (gate) to ensure that pilgrims are dropped off at Sonprayag by buses and autos. There are shared taxis available, ensuring that traffic jams are kept to a minimum. Kedarnath is the highest mountain in the world, yet it is only accessible by a hard 18-kilometer hike through a paved trail from Gaurikund to Kumaon in Uttarakhand.

Online Puja Booking in Kedarnath

Devotees can now book advance online booking of Puja/ Bhog/ Paath/ Aarti at a fair price. There are several types of services available at these Chardham Temples in the region including Puja Paath and Bhog. It is fairly simple to book online and schedule Puja archanas in Kedarnath and Badrinath temples online. Pilgrims must submit an online payment for the puja/ paath/ aarti/ bhog that will be conducted on their behalf. The process if fairly simple and easy. First, register at the Badri-Kedar website, log in to the website, then choose Pooja/Bhog/Paath/Aarti. Enter your information and make an online payment. While sitting at home and with these simple steps, one may get the benefit of online booking.

Kedarnath Dham Yatra Route

The Kedarnath Trek is a 16km medium to steep trek which requires a good level of physical fitness. Before going for the trek every pilgrim has to get themselves checked that whether they are capable of trekking or not. The Kedarnath Trek facilities include the services of Palki/Dandi, Kandi & Mule/Ponies. Anyone can book these services from the booking counter at Gaurikund/Sonprayag.

Kedarnath Popular Route : Delhi → Haridwar (206 kms) → Rishikesh (24 kms) → Devaprayag (70 kms) → Srinagar (35 kms) → Rudraprayag (34 kms) → Tilwara (9kms) → Agastamuni (10 kms) → Kund (15 kms) → Guptkashi (5 kms) → Phata (11 kms) → Rampur (9 kms) → SonPrayag (3 kms) → Gaurikund (5 kms) → Kedarnath (16 Kms).

Kedarnath Trek Route Map Start from Gaurikund : Gaurikund (6 kms) → Rambara Bridge (4 kms) → Jungle Chatti (3 kms) → Bheembali (4 kms) → Linchauli (4 kms) → Kedarnath Base Camp (1 kms) → Kedarnath Temple