Kedarnath Temple

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India /Uttarakhand /Rudraprayag /Kedarnath

Sight Address : Kedarnath, Uttarakhand 246445 Edit

Detail InformationEdit

Kedarnath is a town located in the Indian state of Uttarakhand and has gained importance because of Kedarnath Temple. It is a nagar panchayat in Rudraprayag district. The most remote of the four Char Dham sites, Kedarnath is located in the Himalayas. Kēdārnāth Mandir (Kedarnath Temple) is one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to the God Shiva and is located on the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand in India. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open only between the end of April (Akshaya Tritriya) to Kartik Purnima (the autumn full moon, usually November) every year. During the winters, the vigrahas (deities) from Kedarnath temple are brought to Ukhimath and worshipped there for six months. Lord Shiva is worshipped as Kedarnath, the ‘Lord of Kedar Khand’, the historical name of the region.

Kedarnath Temple

HistoryEdit

Kedarnath temple, located at an height of 3,583 m (11,755 ft), 223 km from Rishikesh, on the shores of Mandakini river, a tributary of Ganga, is an impressive stone edifice of unknown date. The structure is believed to have been constructed in 8th Century AD, when Adi Shankara visited this place and the present structure is on a site adjacent to the site where Pandavas are believed to have built the temple. The temple has on Garbhagriha and a Mandapa and stands on a plateau surrounded by snow clad mountain and glaciers. In front of the temple, directly opposite to inner shrine, is a Nandi statue carved out of rock

Must SeeEdit

Must See

Visiting TimeEdit

4:00 am – 9:00 pm

Closed OnEdit

Kartik Purnima (the autumn full moon, usually November) to April (Akshaya Tritriya) every year.

Best Season to VisitEdit

May to Oct

Best Time To VisitEdit

Morning, Afternoon, Evening.

Time Required for SightseeingEdit

2 – 3hrs

Ticket Required : No Edit

Individual National Adult Rs. : N.A

Kids Rs. : N.A

Individual Foreigner Adult Rs. : N.A

Kids Rs. : N.A

Still Photo Camera Rs. : N.A

Video Camera Rs. : N.A

Guide Required : No Edit

Approximate cost: N.A

Dress Code (If Any) : No Edit

Dress Require: N.A

Restaurants NearbyAdd / Edit

How to ReachEdit

Taxi : Taxies are easily available to travel up to Gaurikund.

BUS : Kedarnath is well connected through road. The National Highway from Delhi to Mana (538 km) is accessible throughout the year. Kedarnath can be accessed by foot from GauriKund. Gaurikund is connected by state buses to Rishikesh, Dehradun, Kotdwara, Haridwar and other hill stations of Kumaon and Garhwal Hills. The bus charges are not fixed. It will vary depending on season.

Train : Nearest railhead at Rishikesh, 189 km away from Kedarnath. Prepaid taxi services are available in the railway station which charge about Rs 3,000. One has to travel 207 km by road and the rest 14 km by foot to reach Kedarnath.

Air : The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, which is about 239 km from Kedarnath. Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun is a domestic airport located at about 20 km away from city center of Dehradun. Taxi cabs are available from Dehradun airport to Kedarnath, which cost about Rs 3,500. The airport operates daily flights to Delhi. Nearest International airport is Delhi (458 km).

Others : From Gaurikund, it’s a grueling uphill trek to the temple. Expect it to take around six hours. Those who don’t feel up to walking can opt to take a pony, which will reduce the duration of the trek by an hour. There are porters available to help carry luggage as well. Alternatively, Kedranath temple is also accessible by helicopter! Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd. (owned by the Indian Government) and Prabhatam Aviation (a private company) provide the services. A one way trip only takes 15 minutes. In terms of accommodations, basic GMVN Tourist Bungalows can be found at Gaurikund and at the temple.