Kedarnath – Introduction -
Kedarnath is one of the holiest and most famous of the Char Dhams in the Himalayas. It is a quaint town amidst the enormous Himalayan Mountains located in Uttarakhand, a state in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, at an altitude of almost 3584 meters over the sea level. Kedarnath, lying nearby the source of Mandakini river, is flanked by gorgeous mountain peaks. During the winter months the Kedarnath temple along with the other local buildings remains under several layers of snow.
Kedar is one of the numerous names of Lord Shiva. There are altogether 200 temples devoted to Lord Shiva in Chamoli district, the most notable of which is Kedarnath. It is one of the most sacred Lord Shiva Jyotirlings.
About the route to Kedarnath from Gaurikund -
From Gaurikind to Kedarnath, such as Rambara, Garurchatti and Janglechatti, only a handful of places fall on the route. At these places you can take rest and spend even a night if needed, or, if you desire to enjoy the magnificent views of the surrounding mountains that fall on the route. While approaching Garurchatti you can see the Kedarnath temple from a distance of around 500 meters.
At a distance of 1 kilometer from Rambara, you can enjoy the views of a rushing down waterfall. With the setting of the soaring snow-capped mountains the Kedarnath temple looks fascinating. An aura of serenity and sacredness pervades through the environment in and around Kedarnath.
Temple at Kedarnath -
The temple at Kedarnath is brilliant in its architectural design and style. It has been constructed on a glacial accumulation of stones and soil. The temple, as it stands now next to the former site of a historic temple constructed by the Pandavas, was built by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century A.D. The inner walls of the main hall, where devotees assemble, are adorned with the figures of many Hindu gods and goddesses along with various Indian mythological scenes. In front of the entrance a massive statue of the Nandi Bull, sits like a guard.
Made of big, heavy and symmetrically cut grey stone slabs, the temple at Kedarnath calls in mind how it was so attractively built and had been taken care of over the years. The temple includes a Garba Griha, where Lord Shiva is worshipped, and a beautiful Mandap, where the visitors and pilgrims gather. A rock formation like the shape of a cone is venerated as Lord Shiva in one of his forms, which is known as Sadashiva.
Temple of Lord Shiva and Samadhi of Shankarcharya -
The temple of Kedarnath is not opened between the months of November and April due to the extreme conditions of weather and also when the temple remains under layers of snow. Kedarnath is not only the site of a famous temple of Lord Shiva, but also the historic site of the Samadhi of Shankarcharya.
Browse through the other pages on our site allindiaportal.com for obtaining more data on the popular pilgrimage sites in India.
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