Kedarnath Travel Guide : Kedarnath Jyotirlinga is considered as one of the most spiritual and pilgrims places in India, where thousands of devotees embark on this journey of faith, devotion and self-discovery. The asylum is situated at an elevation of 11,755 ft in an inaccessible range of the Garhwal Himalayas close to the Mandakini River.
It is one of the most prominent and revered shrines among the Pancha Kedar Temples and is one of the four important temples of Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand. Kedarnath is situated around 223 km away from Rishikesh, the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, and he is worshiped as Kedarnath, the ‘Lord of Kedar Khand’. Kedarnath is moreover well known as a “Jyotirlinga temple” and the sanctuary is measured as the most raised among the 12 Jyotirlingas.
Kedarnath Temple will be closed for almost six months during the winters and every year amid the wintertime, the vigrahas (Symbols) from Kedarnath sanctuary are worshiped at Ukhimath which is around 47 Km away from Kedarnath.
Kedarnath Travel Guide -History, Aarti Timings, Opening & Closing dates
History of Kedarnath Temple (Jyotirlinga) :
The 1200 years old ancient temple is surrounded by more than 200 shrines which are devoted to Lord Shiva in the area itself and it is alleged that Kedarnath temple is correlated to the legend of the Pandavas of Mahabharat. After the epic Kurukshetra War, the Pandavas wanted to seek forgiveness from Lord Shiva for the sins and bloodshed they caused and Shiva, who was quite upset with them tried to avoid them by hiding in the Garhwal Himalayas in a Bull avatar. But he was eventually identified by one of five Pandava brothers, Bhima.
On being seen, the divine being disappeared and recurred in 5 different avatars at five diverse places. So, it is presumed that Pandavas built the Panch Kedar sanctuaries dedicated to each part of the Lord Shiva – Kedarnath temple is devoted to the hump of Lord Shiva.
Kedarnath Temple is covered by snow clad mountains and glaciers and has one Garbhagriha and a Mandapa. There is a statue of Nandi carved out of a rock in front of the temple, which is promptly opposite to Lord shiva. Lord Kedarnath is in the form of lingam which is triangular in shape representing the bull’s hump at a height of 12 ft and there are various images of Pandavas and Parvati Devi.
After the 2013 floods, Kedarnath temple has undergone several renovations, yet constructed and transformed in a beautiful way keeping the ancient look alive. Although the floods caused a lot of damage, the main Kedarnath temple structure is stable as it was protected by a stone named Bheem Shila and from then the huge rock has been worshiped. The renovation includes pathways, guest houses, housing for Pujaris and pilgrims, bathing Ghats, Helipads etc.
Taking photographs is not allowed on the temple premises and due to extreme weather conditions, the temple will be open between the months of April to November, and it can only be reached by trekking with the stunning views of the Himalayas.
Kedarnath Temple Opening and Closing Dates 2024:
The Chota Char Dham Yatra of Uttarakhand are opened in April or May every year and on the auspicious date of ‘Akshay Tritya’ and ‘Maha Shiva Ratri’ the Kedarnath Temple opening date has been calculated and declared by Omkareshwar priests. The sanctuary remains closed during winters, the day after Diwali in November. Each year amid the wintertime, the vigrahas (Symbols) from Kedarnath sanctuary are worshiped at Ukhimath as the temple will be closed for six months which is located around 47 Kms away from Kedarnath.
Timings: 4:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Entry Fee: No entry fee
- Kedarnath Temple Opening Date 2024 10 May 2024 at 6.20 AM
- Kedarnath Temple Closing Date 2024 03 November 2024 (on Bhaiya Dooj)
Kedarnath Aarti Timings:
The daily spiritual proceedings at Kedarnath Temple start from morning 4:00 am with the Maha Abhishek and end in the evening around 7.00 pm with the Shyan aarti. Usually, the committee members decide the darshan timings and is schedule as Rawal. The darshan for the public will be open from 6:00 am to 7:00pm but from 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm the temple will be closed to offer a moment for introspection and reflection.
The temple will be open again after 5:00pm and the window for public darshan ends at 7:00 pm. So plain accordingly, before 3 pm, devotees can also touch and perform Abhishek with Ghee on the Idol where you get to have a personal connection with the God. Post 5 pm, you can get darshan from a distance, but you can touch the idle and the deity is adorned in an emperor’s costume.
Kedarnath Puja Prices:
Morning Puja (4 AM to 7 AM):
- Maha Abhishek: INR 1700 per person
- Rudra Abhishek Puja: INR 1300 Per person
- Laghu Rudra Abhishek Puja: INR 1100 Per person
- Sodasopachar: INR 1000 Per person
- Total Pujas of a day: INR 5200
- Morning Puja: INR 170
- Balbhog: INR 900
Evening Puja & Path (5 PM to 7:00 PM):
- Shiv Sahasranamam Paath: INR 360 Per person
- Shiv Mahimastrotra Paath: INR 360 per person
- Shiv Thandavastrotra Paath: INR 340 per person
- Sampurna Aarti: INR 1500 per person
Daily Bhog & Other Services:
- Dainik Yagya Havan: INR 1800
- Akhand Jyothi Daily: INR 3500
How to Reach Kedarnath Temple from Gaurikund:
Kedarnath Temple trip takes you through a spiritual and life changing journey. To reach the best of the sanctuary, individuals require to do a little journey from Gaurikund, which is considered as the base camp for the Kedarnath journey. The most pivotal portion of the journey is understanding the course outline to reach Gaurikund. There are various routes available to reach the base point, which is certainly reachable by road from various parts of Uttarakhand.
By Road or Bus:
The base point to reach the temple is Gaurikund, which is well connected with major cities in North India and from there are various buses and shared cabs available to reach the destination.
Kedarnath Popular Route: your city or from Delhi – Haridwar (206 kms) – Rishikesh (24 kms)- Devaprayag (70 kms) – Srinagar (35 kms) – Rudraprayag (34 kms) – Tilwara (9kms) – Agastamuni (10 kms) – Kund (15 kms) – Guptkashi (5 kms) – Phata (11 kms) – Rampur (9 kms) – SonPrayag (3 kms) -Gaurikund (5 kms) – Kedarnath (18 Kms).
Road Distance to Kedarnath from Major Cities:
- Delhi to Kedarnath distance: 445 km
- Haridwar to Kedarnath distance: 250 km
- Rishikesh to Kedarnath distance: 225 km
- Dehradun to Kedarnath distance: 264 km
- Chandigarh to Kedarnath distance: 376 km
- Jaipur to Kedarnath distance: 750 km
- Lucknow to Kedarnath distance: 784 km
By Air:
Dehradun Airplane terminal (Jolly Grant Airport) is the closest plane terminal which is well associated to major cities. It’s just 20 km from Rishikesh and 35km from Haridwar, from the airport hire a taxi to Rishikesh and progress towards Gaurikund by road.
By Rail:
Rishikesh railroad station is the closest train track but has constrained prepare connectivity. Another replacement is Haridwar railroad station which is well associated to major cities in India. From the station take a bus to Ukhimath and proceed to Gaurikund by hiring a Taxi.
Upcoming Train Track: By 2025 the travel to Gaurikund will be made more available when the Railroad venture from the Rishikesh to Karnaprayag will be completed, with Rudraprayag station being the nearest to Chopta and Kedarnath.
Kedarnath Trek Details:
There are various options to reach the Kedarnath Temple, by trekking, Palki, Dandi (Palanquin), Mule/Ponies, Kandi and helicopter services.
Gaurikund to Kedarnath Trek:
The trek starts from the base camp, Gaurikund, and it’s approximately an 18 Km trek to Tungnath Temple. Due to 2013 nature disasters floods in Uttarakhand, the hike underwent some modifications, which result in expanding the trek route from 14km to 18km.You hike offer incredible views of the Himalayas, located at an elevation of 3,583 m. The new route is well equipped with public toilets, food and refreshments stalls, medical assistance and first aid services, experienced guides, tented campsites offer shelter and well-marked routes through the trekking paths. Throughout the trail journey you hear devotees humming and praising the trail and the resound of “Har Har Mahadev” fills you with a one-of-a-kind otherworldly exemplification.
Kedarnath Trek Route Map from Gaurikund:
Gaurikund (6 kms)- Rambara Bridge (4 kms) – Jungle Chatti (3 kms) – Bheembali (4 kms) -Linchauli (4 kms) – Kedarnath Base Camp (1 kms) -Kedarnath Temple.
If you are not up for the trek, you can hire a Palki, Kandi, Mule/Ponies and Dandi (Palanquin) service that are available at Gaurikund which takes you to Kedarnath temple. The price of ride varies as per weight and the up and down route journey. Apart from the base point, you will find the services at several points through the trek, but they charge you more.
- Charge you around INR 8000 for one way for Dandi (Palanquin) service
- Charge you around INR 8800 for Kandi service Up and down
- Charge you around INR 2300 for Mule/Ponies Service one way
Kedarnath Helicopter Service:
One of the easiest and best ways to reach the Kedarnath Temple quickly is by taking a helicopter ride and the services are available from various helipads, Guptkashi, Sersi, Phata etc. The government of the territory fixes the price for the helicopter rides.
- Charge you around INR 6074 for round trip from Phata to Kedarnath Helicopter Route
- Charge you around INR 6072 for round trip from Sirsi to Kedarnath Route
- Charge you around INR 8426 for round trip from Guptkashi to Kedarnath Route
Things to do in Kedarnath:
After paying homage at the revered Kedarnath Temple, consider extending your exploration to various spots nearby.
Visit Bhairavnath Temple:
Bhairavnath Sanctuary is just around 1km away from Kedarnath Shrine settled on a slope of the elevated Himalayas. This temple is dedicated to God Bhairav, known as Kshetrapal or the guardian of the province. The deity in the temple is believed to protect the Kedarnath basin and the main temple during the wintertime when the Kedarnath is closed. The best spot to experience a lovely sunset and splendid views of Kedarnath valley.
Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi:
It is one of the most visited spots in Kedarnath, which is located just behind the Kedarnath sanctuary. Adi Shankaracharya who is a well-known philosopher, theologian and the founder of four sacred Mathas in India built the current monument of Kedarnath in the 8th century AD. The Samadhi of Adi Guru Shankaracharya stands as a witness to his everlasting legacy and wisdom. At a very young (32 years) he decided to attain moksha at Kedarnath and attained Nirvana near the Temple.
Vasuki Tal:
Vasuki Tal is an elevated glacial lake located at an altitude of 14,200 feet above sea level near Kedarnath Dham. Around the lake you get to see the rear Brahma Kamal and other Himalayan flowers blooming across. To reach this spot, you require to do a little journey of 8km from Kedarnath sanctuary.
Chorabari Lake / Gandhi Sarovar:
It’s just a 3.5km trek from Kedarnath, which is located at an elevation of 4,746 meters above sea level, on Chorabari Bamak glacier. Gandhi Sarovar is a small crystal-clear water lake which is fed by the snow melting from the surrounding mountains. The picturesque lake is named after the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi. It’s considered as holy site by Hindus and believed that lord shiva spent his life in mediation for years and his wife Goddess Parvati took a bath in the lake.
Meditation caves:
Rudra Cave is the best spot to do mediation which is nested just 1km away from Kedarnath Temple. This underground stone meditation cave can accommodation only one person and it came into limelight in 2019 after Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India meditated here before the general election. Apart from this, if you want to experience akin to ancient yogis then visit Hanuman Gufa and Dhyana Gufa.
Conclusion:
The Kedarnath yatra is an unforgettable blend of adventure, spirituality and natural assets. Every pilgrim can get on board a memorable trip to the divine home of Lord Shiva, the mesmerizing trek through the breathtaking Himalayan Mountain topography is a once in a lifetime experience filled with a renewed sense of wonder.
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