Kedarnath Temple

Kedarnath Temple, probably the most sacred Hindu shrine located in the great Himalayas, is believed to be constructed by Sankaracharya. Situated at the Garhwal region of Himalayas, this temple is one of the major Shiva temples in the country.

The temple contains one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva along with one of the Panch Kedars. Kedar is that form of Lord Shiva which embodies a passion of love, death, hatred, mysticism and fear by his several forms.

According to one of the popular beliefs, the temple has been constructed by the Pandavas. Tourists visiting the temple can see the statue of Nandi, the celestial bull of Lord Shiva placed at the threshold of the temple. In addition, the walls inside the temple are ornately carved with several images. The temple also contains a Shiva lingam, which is pyramidal in shape unlike its general form.

The statue of Lord Shiva is borne down from Garhwal to Ukhimath with the onset of winters in the month of November. This statue is then reinstated at this temple in the first week of May. During this period, the doors of this temple are opened for the pilgrims hailing from all over India to Kedarnath.

According to the mythology, the idol placed in the temple is identified with the rump of a bull. This is believed to be a disguise adopted by Lord Shiva so as to escape recognition by the Pandavas. The Pandavas were seeking repentance from him for killing their relatives in the battle of Kurukshetra. On pursuing him by the Pandavas, he dived into the ground and left behind a hump on the surface. This hump is also worshipped by the devotees at the shrine.