Engulfed in the soulful chants of “Om Namah Shivay”, the ringing sounds of the temple bells, and wrapped in a pious aura, Kedarnath Dham is an epitome of spirituality, peace and mysticism. The holy Hindu town, situated at a majestic height of 3584 metres above sea level near the head of the sacred Mandakini River in the state of Uttarakhand, is blessed with a bewitching scenery that makes the travellers lose sense of time. Every year, the place is thronged by millions of devotees seeking blessings of Lord Shiva at the ancient Kedarnath Temple, which happens to be the most important religious attraction and a focal point of all pilgrim activity in the town.
It is said that the temple was originally built by the Pandavas from the Mahabharata fame, but was consecrated in 8th century AD by Adi Shankaracharya on his excursion across the Garhwal Himalayas. Today, the temple is the most revered shrine of the enchanting Himalayan region and sits as an important part of the Chota Char Dham Pilgrim Circuit. Additionally, it’s the first of the sacred Panch Kedar shrines and also one of the 12 Jyotirlingas dedicated to Lord Shiva
Kedarnath Dham holds a special place in the heart of every Hindu devout and Shaivite who yearns to visit this pious destination at least once in their lifetime. If you too are someone planning a pilgrimage tour here, note that the town is connected to almost every major city of Uttarakhand via a motorable road which extends till Gaurikund. Further up Gaurikund, one has to cover a paved yet gruelling pathway uphill of about 14 km. To do so, one can either embark on a trekking expedition, hire a pony or rent a palanquin which can be pre-booked from the GMVN office. Helicopter services are also available to Kedarnath.
Kedarnath Temple Opening Date 2025- 2 May
7 Nights 8 Days Badrinath Kedarznath Do Dham Yatra from Delhi
7 Nights 8 Days Badrinath Kedarnath Do Dham Yatra from Delhi
7 Nights 8 Days Badrinath Kedarnath Do Dham Yatra from Delhi
7 Nights 8 Days Badrinath Kedarnath Do Dham Yatra from Delhi
Nestled at a height of almost 12,000 feet, the present day structure of Kedarnath Temple is said to have been constructed by Hindu Guru Adi Shakaracharya in 8th century AD. However, the original shrine is believed to have existed since Vedic times and has various interesting legends and mythological stories associated with it.
According to one of them, Nar and Narayana, two incarnations of Lord Vishnu, once performed severe austerities and penance on the grounds of present day Kedarnath, seeking blessings of Lord Shiva. Pleased with their sheer devotion and prayers, Shiva appeared before them and asked them to make a wish. Extremely delighted, Nar and Narayana instantly requested Shiva to dwell permanently at Kedarnath. Since that time, Lord Shiva is believed to have been residing here in the form of a Shivlingam, freeing his true devotees from all the miseries of their life.
The second legend narrates that the temple came into existence during the time of Pandavas from the fame of Hindu epic, Mahabharata. According to the story, the Pandavas, burdened with the guilt at having killing their own cousins in the infamous war of Kurukshetra, sought forgiveness from Shiva. Not wanting to release the five brothers from the burden of their sins so easily, Shiva disguised himself in the form of a bull and eluded them repeatedly in the Garhwal Himalayas by hiding under the ground.
13 Nights / 14 Days
9 Nights / 10 Days
13 Nights / 14 Days
