Kedarnath Temple - One Of The Twelve Jyotirlingas Of Lord Shiva - Uttarakhand - India

The temple at Kedarnath is one of the most sacred temples in the country. Each year the summer months see thousands heading to make this difficult pilgrimage. One of the holiest pilgrimages for the Hindus, Kedarnath Temple Jyotirlinga is located in the picturesque surroundings of Rudra Himalaya Range at a height of 12000 feet on a mountain named Kedar. Kedarnath Temple is One Of The Twelve Jyotirlingas Of Lord Shiva.

Location: Kedarnath Temple is located in the town of Kedarnath in Rudraprayag District, Uttarakhand.

Best time to visit: May - June and Mid Sept - Oct
Population: 479 (2001)
Area: Garhwal Himalaya
Altitude: 3553 mt.
STD code: 01364
Languages: Hindi

Located in the lofty Himalayas, Kedarnath Temple is one of the best known Shivasthalams in India and is considered to be one of the most sacred pilgrimage centers of the country. It is believed that by praying to Kedareshwar, one can get all his desires fulfilled. Kedarnath is a majestic sight, standing in the middle of a wide plateau surrounded by lofty snow covered peaks. The present temple, built in the 8th century by Adi Shankaracharya, stands adjacent to the site of an earlier temple built by the Pandavas. Majestically jeweled on the head of river Mandakini, Kedarnath is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of lord Shiva. 

Famous for the ancient shrine devoted to Lord Shiva, it tenders an unflustered ambience with its colorful rhododendron woods, snow covered mountains and splendid sights of nature. This sacred city is visited by thousands of tourists from all over to seek the blessing of the lord and scout the undulating scenery of this region at an elevation of 11,755 ft above sea level. The present temple, built in 8th century A.D. by Adi Shankaracharya, stands adjacent to the site of an earlier temple built by the Pandavas. The inner walls of the assembly hall are decorated with figures of various deities and scenes from mythology. One of the most venerated pilgrimages of the Hindus, Kedarnath Temple is located on the Garhwal Himalayan ranges and is one of the four sites constituting the Chota Char Dham pilgrimage of Northern Himalayas in India. The temple, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva, is open only for a limited period of time between the end of April (Akshaya Tritriya) and Kartik Purnima (the autumn full moon, usually November) due to extreme weather conditions. Kedarnath Shrine is scenically placed amidst the lofty, snow - covered mountains and grassy meadows covering the valleys. Immediately behind the temple is the high Keadardome peak, which can be sighted from great distances. It is believed that the temple of Kedarnath was constructed by the Pandavas.

Route To Kedarnath Temple

Route From Gangotri to Kedarnath Temple

Gangotri – Harsil – Uttarkashi – Chingalisaur – Tehri – Ghansali – Chibitiga – Mayali – Tilwada – Agastyamuni – Kund – Guptakashi – Phata – Gaurikund – Kedarnath

Route From Dehradun to Kedarnath Temple

Dehradun – Rishikesh – Narendranagar – Chamba – Tehri – Ghansali – Chibitiga – Mayali – Tilwada – Agastyamuni – Kund – Guptakashi – Phata – Gaurikund – Kedarnath

Route To Kedarnath Temple By Helicopter

Helicopter services connect Phata helipad (near Guptakashi) with Kedarnath directly.

Entry Fee And Other Charges For Visit Kedarnath Temple

There are no entry fee for any person Free Darshan to All, But you can pay charges for attend some special puja and events held by Kedarnath Temple. One more thing to remember, clicking the Kedarnath photos are also not allowed. Although you can capture the beauty around the mandir in your camera. Photography and Videography are not allowed.

Opening Time For Kedarnath Temple

The temple at Kedarnath enshrining the Jyotirlingam of Shiva opens only six months of a year (April-November) when the sun enters the zodiac sign of Aries and it is closed when the sun enters Scorpio. Temple is closed from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm so plan to be at temple before 3:00 pm. Before 3:00 pm visitors can touch idle and do Abhishek with Ghee. After 5:00 PM no one can touch idle but can get Darshan with a distance. At this time idle is in Emperor costume.

Best Time To Visit Kedarnath Temple

You can visit Kedarnath temple anytime from April to October escaping the monsoon months. Kedarnath temple remains open from April/May to October depending upon the Hindu calendar. Monsoon leads to landslide, road blocks and creates hazards to your trip. During the winters, the shrine is submerged in snow and hence is closed. The ideal time to visit is between May to October. Kedarnath is reached through a 14 km. Long trek from Gaurikund.

Tourist Attractions Near Kedarnath Temple

There are many Places to See around Kedarnath Temple Like,

• Gandhi Sarovar
• Gauri Kund
• Vasuki Tal
• Sonprayag
• Triyuginarayan
• Guptkashi
• Chopta
• Panch Kedar

Shopping Near Kedarnath Temple

There are not too many items for shopping in Kedarnath. For souvenirs you can visit the small shops in Kedarnath which sell portraits and photographs of the Kedarnath and Badrinath Temple or of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Crystals, Saligrams, herbs like Shilajit, precious stones and Tulsi beads are other things which can be purchased here. Besides these photographs or framed pictures of temples you can also get Rudraksh Malas made from Rudraksh, an essential fruit which is quite important to the Hindus.

Restaurants Near Kedarnath Temple

There are no many option for eating food at Kedarnath Temple But some hotels are served best food at closed from Kedarnath Temple. Saket Restaurant is one of the best option for eating food Near Kedarnath Temple.

Hotels Near Kedarnath Temple

Here is the list of some hotels which are closed from Kedarnath Temple.

AR Resort 2.0 Star Hotel
Kameda Gauchar Badrinath Road, Badrinath
40.8 km from Kedarnath Temple

Sarovar Portico Badrinath 4.0 Star Hotel
Plot No 834
40.9 km from Kedarnath Temple

Hotel Narayan Palace
Near Bus Terminal, Badrinath
41.0 km from Kedarnath Temple

Monal Resort
Main Badrinath Road, Rudra Prayag
48.5 km from Kedarnath Temple

Shivlinga Tourist Complex
Gangotri Highway, Ujeli, Uttarkashi
48.7 km from Kedarnath Temple

Balbir Palace
National Highway 58, Rudra Prayag
51.2 km from Kedarnath Temple

Garhawal Mandal Vikas Nigam Hotel, Auli
GMVN, Auli, Badrinath
52.5 km from Kedarnath Temple

Cliff Top Club 3.0 Star Hotel
Auli Skiing Village, Distt. Chamoli, Auli
52.7 km from Kedarnath Temple

How to Reach Kedarnath Temple

By Air:

Jolly Grant Airport is the closest airport to make it to Kedarnath situated at a distance of 150 miles. Taxis are available from airport to Gauri Kund.

By Rail:

The nearest railhead is positioned at Rishikesh, about 130 miles from Kedarnath. The other closest ones are Haridwar, Kathgodam and Kotdwara.

By Road:

One can easily reach Gaurikund by roads from the main destinations of Uttarakhand and many other famous parts of India. One has to get on a trek of 8 miles from Gaurikund that leads to Kedarnath Temple. Approachable on foot from Gaurikund, which is connected by road to Rishikesh, Kotwar, Dehradun, Haridwar and other important hill stations of Garhwal and Kumaon region. Regular bus and taxis services are available from the major destinations like Chamoli Haridwar, Rishikesh, Tehri, Srinagar and Dehradun.

Google Map For Kedarnath Temple