THE BABA KEDRANATH CHARDHAM TEMPLE (UTTARAKHAND) INDIA
About Kedarnath Temple ::- Kedarnath Is A Town In Rudraprayag District In The State Of Uttarakhand In India And Has Gained Importance Because Of The Kedranath Temple. It Is Approximately 86 Kilometers From Rudraprayag, The District Headquarter. It Is A Nagar Panchayat In The Rudraprayag District. It Is Also Located Distance Of 223 Km From Rushikesh In Uttarakhand And Close To The Source Of The Mandakini River At The Height Of 3,583m (11,755 Ft) Above Sea Level Near The Chorabari Glacier Which In The Himalayas. The Nearest Road head Is At Gaurikund About 16 Km Away.
Kedarnath Has Been A pilgrimage Centre Since Ancient times. The Temple's Construction Is Credited To The Pandava Brothers Mentioned In The Mahabharat. However The Mahabharat Does Not Mention Any Place Called Kedarnath. One Of The Earliest References To Kedarnath Occurs In The Skanda Purana(7th-8th Century) Which Name Kedara (Kedarnath) As The Palce Where Lord Shiva Released The Holy Waters Of Ganga From His Matted Hair, Resulting In The Formation Of The Ganga River.
The 8th Century Philosopher Adi Sankaracharya Died Near The Kedranath Mountains. The Ruins Of A Monument Marking The Purported Resting Place Of Adi Sankaracharya Are Loacted At Kedarnath. Kedranath Was Definitely A Prominent Pilgrimage Centre By The 12th Century When It Is Mentioned In Kritya-Kalpataru Written By The Gahadavala Minister Bhatta Lakshmidhara. The Name "Kedarnath" Means Lord Of The "Field". It Is Derived From The Sanskrit Words Kedar(Field) And Nath (Lord). The Text Kashi Kedar Kedara Mahatmya Sates That It Is Also Called Beacause "The Crop Of Liberation' Grows Here.
The Kedarnath Temple Is Closed During The Winter Months Due To Heavy Snowfall. For Six Months, From November To April, The Palanquin With The Utsava Murti (Idol) Of Kedarnath And Of The Madhyamaheswar Temple In Ukhimath, Near Gupakashi. Priests And Other Summer-Time Residents Also Move To Nearby Villages To Cope With The Winter. According To The Koppen-Geiger Climate Classification System, Kedranath's Climate Is Monsoon- influenced Subarctic Climate Bordering A Uniform Rainfall Subarctic Climate With Mild, Rainy Summers And Cloud, Snowy Winters.
Other Than The Kedarnath Temple, On The Eastern Side Of The Town Is Bhairavnath Temple And The Deity Of This Temple, Bhairavnath, Is Believed To Protect The Town During The Winter Months. About 6 Km Upstream From The Town, Lies Chorabari Tal A Lake Cum Glacier Also Called Gandhi Sarovar. Near Kedarnath, There Is A Cliff Called Bhairav Jhamp. Other Palces Of Interest Include The Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Adi Sankaracharya Samadhi And Rudra Meditation Cave.
How To Go ::- Kedarnath Is Well Connected To New Delhi And Dehradun By Bus Network. You Can Also Take A Bus From Haridwar To Reach Kedarnath. Gaurikund Is The Nearest Motorable Area From Kedarnath. Rishikesh Railway Station Is The Nearest Railway Head From Kedarnath. Located About 210 Km From Gaurikund. Dehradun The Nearest Airport Located Around 250 Km From Kedarnath.
When To Go ::- From May To October Is The Best Time To Visit Kedarnath. During Winter months, The Town Remains Closed Due To Heavy Snowfall. The Temple Has Been Shut For The Winter Season.
