Introduction to Kedarnath Jyotirlinga Temple:
The aim of this writeup is to explore Spiritual Significance of Kedarnath Jyotirlinga Temple or Shiva Kedarnath Temple. Shri Kedarnath Mandir is nestled in the serene and picturesque Kedar Peak of the mighty Himalayas at the height of approximately 3584 meters.
The sacred River Mandakini, at the Kedarnath hills, makes the whole environment pious and pure so that the mind of the pilgrims get completely soaked in the potion of spirituality at the doorsteps of Shiva Kedarnath Temple.
Thousands of devotees throng to visit Kedarnath Jyotirlinga Temple or the Kedarnath Temple or Shri Kedarnath Mandir or Kedarnath Jyotirlinga in the State of Uttarakhand, every year. Shri Kedarnath Mandir is one of the famous 12 Jyotirlingas in India.
Kedarnath Temple or Kedarnath Dham in Himalayas in Uttarakhand
As the devout devotees in India and abroad are fully aware that the Shri Kedarnath Mandir is dedicated to Lord Shiva, on the other hand Badrinath temple, also situated in Uttarakhand is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
Devotees visiting Kedarnath Mandir or Kedarnath Jyotirlinga also visit Samadhi Temple of Adi Sankara situated behind the temple of Baba Kedarnath Shivling or Shiva Kedarnath Temple.
Kedarnath Jyotirlinga Story or the Legend of Kedarnath Temple:
Kedarnath Jyotirling story goes that Shree Nar and Narayana, the devout devotees of Lord Shiva, did penance to please Lord Shiva at Kedar. While performing penance, they remained without food, standing on one foot. Their rigorous penance became a point of discussion in all the three Lokas, in the whole world. All praised their zeal, spirit, dedication and devotion towards Lord Shiva.
Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu also praised their unflinching faith in propitiating Lord Shiva. Pleased with their vigorous penance, the Lord Shiva appeared and gave Nar and Narayan Rishis, darshan and asked them to ask for a boon.
Nar and Narayan asked Lord Shiva to permanently establish Himself at Kedarnath for the sake of the wellbeing of the devotees. To this, Lord Shiva agreed to and appeared there in the form of Shiva Kedar Jyotirlinga, the column or the pillar of light at Kedarnath Temple Uttarakhand. Since then the Kedarnath Mandir has been a revered temple in India, one amongst the 12 Jyotirlingas.
Kedarnath Height:
Kedarnath Temple Kedarnath Uttarakhand or the Kedarnath temple which is the part of the famous Char Dham Yatra(Char Dham Pilgrimage) is at the height of 3584 meters or 11,755 ft.
The serene and picturesque surroundings of the mighty Himalayan mountains evoke keen interest for adventurers as well. With the improved road conditions and initiative to provide amenities along the route, religious tourism in Uttarakhand has got a boost.
Far away from the madding crowd, the Kedarnath Jyotirlinga Temple or the Kedarnath Temple Uttarakhand, affords a sacred and perfect locale to the soul, mind and body to seek solace in the abode of Lord Shiva.
The peaceful, soulful, serene and picturesque surroundings in the endearing and enchanting fold of the Himalayas mountains, amply provide perfect ambience to those who try to find solace and peace in the sacred Kedarnath Temple Kedarnath Uttarakhand premises.
At Kedarnath temple, the devout devotees connect their soul, body and mind to the realms of an altogether different spiritual world for their spiritual metamorphosis or transformation to a higher plane.
Kedarnath Temple’s Distance From Rishikesh:
Kedarnath Temple Jyotirlinga distance from Rishikesh is 223 km(139 miles). The distance from Rudryaprag, the sacred place of confluence of Mandakini and Alaknanda rivers to Kedarnath in Uttarakhand is about 76 kms by road.
As the terrain is hilly, the travel time by the serpentine black roads is approximately 2 hours. Enroute Rudraprayag to Kedarnath, devotees pass through picturesque Sonprayag and Gaurikund.
Holy place enroute journey from Haridwar to Baba Kedarnath Jyotirlinga:
From Haridwar to Kedarnath Shivling, devotees come across the vibrant places- Rishikesh, Devprayag, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Gaurikund (via Agastyamuni, Guptakashi, Sonprayag and Kedarnath.
The Sacred Confluence of River Mandakini and Holy River Alaknanda at Rudraprayag:
At Rudraprayag, river Mandakini which emanates from Kedarnath peaks, joins Alaknanda river. The trekking route to Kedarnath is about 16 km from Gaurikund to Shiva Kedarnath Temple. At Kedarnath Temple Kedarnath Uttarakhand, the devotees can perform Abhishek puja and Archana with Ghee and flowers.
Kedarnath Temple History:
Legend has it that the Pandavas after defeating Kauravas were shrouded with conscience of guilt owing to killings of so many people in the battle-field of Kurukshetra.
Lord Shiva eluded Pandavas and took refuge at the Kedarnath in the form of a Bull. Shiva dived into the ground, leaving his hump at the surface. His arms appeared at Tungnath, the face at Rudranath, the belly at Madmaheshwar and His locks(hair) at Kalpeshwar.
In order to seek redemption, the Pandavas, as per the legend, initially built the Kedarnath Mandir at the mountain of Kedar in the State of Uttarakhand.
Kedarnath Yatra: Panch Kedar pilgrimage circuit:
Kedarnath and the four pilgrim sites viz. Tungnath, Rudranath, Madmaheshwar and Kalpeshwar together make the Panch Kedar pilgrimage circuit.
Both the Kedarnath Temple or the Shri Kedarnath Mandir and Badrinath temple in the Himalayas in Uttarakhand State are believed to be established by Aadi Guru Shankaracharya.
Kedarnath Temple Inside:
Inside the Kedarnath Temple, the halls have the statues of 5 Pandava brothers- Yudhisther, Bhim, Arjun, Nakul and Sahdev. The statues of Lord Krishna and Nandi bull also adore the temple halls. The main hall houses the statues of Draupadi and other deities as well.
Ukhimath, a small town in the district of Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand at the elevation of 1,311 meters, at a distance of about 41 kms houses the presiding deity of Kedarnath Jyotirlinga Temple during winters when the weather turns extreme. Devotees pour in large numbers to venerate and worship Lord Shiva at Ukhimath despite the inclement weather conditions.
Best Time To Go Kedarnath:
The best time to go to Kedarnath Temple is the time when darshan to Kedarnath Temple is opened for devotees in the month of April(Akshaya Tritiya) & November (Kartik Purnima). During the rainy season when the monsoons downpour is very heavy, there remains a threat of boulders coming down on the road. People usually avoid visiting Haridwar, Rishikesh, Devprayag and other Prayags during the monsoon.
Conclusion to Kedarnath Jyotirlinga Temple:
During the winters, Ukhimath Temple becomes the temporary abode of Lord Kedarnath which provides opportunity to devotees to connect spiritually by meditating in the serene and peaceful environment without any tension or hindrance.
We all know that In 2013, Kedarnath temple was worst affected in flash floods. Despite the vagaries of nature, the devout devotees continue to visit Kedarnath Mandir facing the vicissitudes of time.
The devout devotees have unflinching faith and trust in Kedarnath Jyotirlingas who even during extreme winters, muster the courage and strength to cope up with the inclement weather and wholeheartedly visit the Jyotirlingas with their kith and kin, round the year.
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FAQs about Kedarnath Jyotirlinga Temple:
Q.1. Where is Kedarnath temple?
Ans. The sacred Kedarnath Jyotirlinga Temple is located in the State of Uttarakhand.
Q.2. Who built Kedarnath temple?
Ans. As per the legend, the Kedarnath Jyotirlinga Temple was built by Pandavas. They built it to perform penance to Lord Shiva after the famous Mahabharat war with Kauravas at Kurukshetra. Jagad Guru Adi Shanakaracharya is said to have built the Temple in the 8th Century A.D.
Q.3. How old is Kedarnath temple?
Ans. It is a thousand years old temple in Kedarnath.
Q.4. What is the significance of Kedarnath Jyotirlinga?
Ans. The religious and spiritual significance of Kedarnath Jyotirlinga is very much amongst the Hindu devotees. There remains a steady stream of pilgrims at Kedarnath who seek Baba Kedarnath blessings.
Q.5. What is the history of Kedarnath Temple?
Ans. As per the legend, it was built by Pandavas, thousands of years ago. In the 8th century it was built by Adi Sankaracharya.
Q.6. What is the story behind Kedarnath Jyotirlinga?
Ans. As per Kedarnath Jyotirlinga story, the Nar and Narayan did penance here and sought boon from Lord Shiva for establishing His temple. Lord Shiva agreed to their request and appeared in the form of a column of light, a Jyotirlinga.
Q.7. What is the best time to visit Kedarnath Temple?
Ans. The best time to visit Kedarnath is from April to November.
Q.8. What can visitors expect to see inside Kedarnath Temple?
Ans. Inside the Kedarnath Temple in the first hall are the statues of 5 Pandava brothers, Lord Krishna and Nandi bull. Other halls are bedecked with beautiful statues of Draupadi and other deities.
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