Kedarnath is a town in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, which has gained importance because of Kedarnath Temple. It is a Nagar panchayat in a Rudraprayag district. Kedarnath is located in the Himalayas about 3,583m (11,755ft.) above sea level. Due to which it observe a heavy snowfall through out the year. Kedarnath experiences a very cold climate  due to which it is opened for a few months which excites peoples more about this place.

A visit to the Kedarnath Temple is an integral part of the famous Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand. The yatra also includes visits to shrines like Gangotri, Yamunotri, and Badrinath. All four shrines are located in the Garhwal division of Uttarakhand.

Kedarnath Mandir is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, is said to be more than 1,200 years old. It was built by 𝐴𝑑𝑖 𝑆ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑘𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑦𝑎 and is among one of the 12 jyotirlingas in India. Every year thousands of pilgrims visit the Kedarnath Temple during the pilgrimage season and Char Dham Yatra is a major source of income for Uttarakhand’s tourism industry. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple closes on the first day of Kartik (October-November) and reopens in Vaishakh (April-May) every year.

Kedarnath is seen as a homogeneous form of Lord Shiva, ℎ𝑒 was the 𝐿𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝐾𝑒𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑘ℎ𝑎𝑛 the historical name of the region.

Kedarnath was the worst affected area during the 2013 flash floods in North India. The temple complex, surrounding area, and Kedarnath town suffered extensive damage, but the temple structure didn’t suffer any major damage, apart from a few cracks on one side of the four walls which was caused by the flowing debris from the higher mountains.

A large rock among the debris acted as a barrier, protecting the temple from the flood. The surrounding premises and other buildings in the market area were heavily damaged.

How To Reach Kedarnath 

Kedarnath is located in the state of Uttarakhand. It can be reached by road from the base Gaurikund. It has connectivity with some railway stations and airports. Here is how to reach Kedarnath.

By Air 

The nearest domestic airport is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, about 239 km from Kedarnath, and operates daily flights to Delhi. Taxis are available from Dehradun airport to Kedarnath. The nearest international airport is Delhi.

 

By Train

The nearest railhead is at Rishikesh, 221 km away. Pre-paid taxi services are available at the railway station which charges about Rs 3,000. One has to travel 207 km by road and the rest 14 km on foot to reach Kedarnath.

 

 

By Roadways 

Visitors can board regular buses from Rishikesh and Kotdwar to Kedarnath. Private taxis can also be hired from these places. The National Highway from Delhi to Mana (538 km) remains open throughout the year. Kedarnath is also accessible by foot from Gauri Kund, which is connected by state buses to Rishikesh, Dehradun, Kotdwara, and Haridwar.     

 

Top sightseeing places in Kedarnath

𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐢 𝐓𝐚𝐥 –

Formed from the Chorabari glacier, The Chorabari Tal is an ancient lake and also known as Gandhi Tal as part of Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes are immersed here. According to Hindu mythology, this lake was the place where Lord Shiva the first guru imparted the knowledge of Yoga to the Saptrishi. There’s a cliff near the Bhairava Temple from which the devotees used to leap to their deaths believing it to bring salvation. This practice, however, was abolished by the British in the 19th century.

Things to Do near Chorabari Tal:

•Trekking.

•View the Himalayan Ranges

•Visit a waterfall en route.

𝐕𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐤𝐢 𝐓𝐚𝐥-

Vasuki Tal refers to a glacial lake located in the mountains and also a moderately easy trek trail. The crystalline lake located among the Himalayas is one of the most amazing destinations you will ever visit. The trek usually starts at Gauri Kund where one can find the hot sulfur springs and ends at the amazing glacial lake.

Things to Do near Vasuki Tal:

•Trekking

•Camping

𝐆𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐢 𝐊𝐮𝐧𝐝 –

The second highest lake in the world, Gauri Kund is also an important pilgrimage site. It is considered to be the place where Goddesses Parvati performed penance to please Lord Shiva. According to popular folklore, Lord Ganesha was created at this place by Parvati Devi after taking bath in this lake. This site is also the base camp for people trekking to Kedarnath Temple.

Things to Do near Gauri Kund.

•Trekking.

•Pony Rides.

•Visit Triyuginarayan Temple, 10 km away.

𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐲𝐮𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 –

Located at a short distance from Gauri Kund, Triyuginarayan Temple is an important pilgrimage site. This place is the marriage site of Lord Shiva and Goddesses Parvati and it is said all gods came here to witness their holy union. The exact location of the wedding is symbolized by a stone called Brahma Shilla in front of the temple. There is an eternal flame inside the temple that is believed to burn since the marriage.

Things to Do near Triyuginarayan Temple:

Trek to Gauri Kund.

Visit the nearby sacred Kunds (ponds).

Other nearby attractions at Kedarnath include Sonprayag, RatusKund, Bhairavnath Temple, Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, and TriyuginarayanTemple.

 𝐴𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 , 𝐾𝑒𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑡ℎ 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑠𝑜 𝑎𝑛 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑘𝑘𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑑𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠. 𝑉𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑗𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠. 𝐻𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑓𝑠 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑑 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑝𝑒𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑝 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑘𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒.