Chamoli district in Uttarakhand is home to over 200 shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva, with Kedarnath being the most significant. chardham tour packages According to legend, after the Pandavas defeated the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra war, they felt guilty for killing their kin and sought Lord Shiva’s blessings for redemption. Shiva eluded them and took refuge at Kedarnath in the form of a buffalo. When pursued, he dived into the ground, leaving his hump visible at Kedarnath. Other parts of Shiva appeared at four different locations: his arms at Tungnath, face at Rudranath, belly at Madmaheshwar, and hair with head at Kalpeshwar. These five chardham yatra package shrines collectively are known as the Panch Kedar.

The Kedarnath Temple, situated in a wide plateau surrounded by lofty, snow-covered peaks, was originally built by Jagad Guru Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century A.D. on the site of an earlier temple constructed by the Pandavas. The inner walls of the assembly hall are adorned with figures of various deities and scenes from mythology, and a large statue of Nandi the bull stands guard outside the temple door.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Kedarnath temple boasts exquisite architecture, Chardham Yatra Tour Packages  constructed with massive, evenly cut grey stone slabs. The temple has a Garbha Griha (sanctum) for worship and a Mandap (hall) for pilgrims and visitors. Inside, a conical rock formation is worshipped as Lord Shiva in his Sadashiva form.

History of Kedarnath Dham

In Hindu tradition, Lord Shiva is believed to manifest in the form of a Jyotirlingam, or cosmic light. Kedarnath is the highest among the 12 Jyotirlingas. This ancient temple, constructed over a thousand years ago by Jagad Guru Adi Shankaracharya, is located in the Rudra Himalaya range of Uttarakhand at an altitude of 3,581 meters, with a 16 km trek from Gaurikund.

The temple is built of massive stone slabs on a large rectangular platform. Ascending the temple involves climbing large grey steps inscribed with Pali language. The inner walls of the sanctum are decorated with figures of various deities and scenes from mythology.

The origins of the Kedarnath temple are linked to the Mahabharata. After their victory over the Kauravas, the Pandavas sought Shiva’s Char Dham Tour Operators blessings to atone for their sins. Shiva, evading them, took refuge at Kedarnath in the form of a buffalo. Pursued by the Pandavas, he dived into the ground at the site of the current sanctum, leaving his hump visible. This conical rock formation is worshipped as Lord Shiva in his Sadashiva form. Priests and pilgrims perform pujas and archanas (ritual worship) at this site. Additionally, a holy statue of Lord Shiva, the portable manifestation (Utsavar), is present inside the temple.

Outside the temple door stands a large statue of Nandi, the bull. The temple has been renovated numerous times over the centuries.

Snowfall in Kedarnath

Kedarnath experiences heavy snowfall in winter, with the temple often blanketed in snow from chardham yatra November to April. At the onset of winter, typically in the first week of November, a symbolic statue of Lord Shiva is carried from Kedarnath to Ukhimath, where it is worshipped during the winter months. Pujas and archanas are performed at Ukhimath until May. In the first week of May, on an auspicious date announced in advance, the statue is carried back to Kedarnath, and the temple doors are reopened to pilgrims. The shrine generally closes on the first day of Kartik (October-November) and reopens in Vaishakh (April-May) each year.